(TheRedAlertNews.com) – NEWS ALERT: On Friday night, strong tornadoes hit parts of the Deep South, killing at least 23 people in Mississippi and destroying many buildings. The small town of Rolling Fork was especially affected, with its mayor saying, “My city is gone.”
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency sent search and rescue teams to help people affected by the tornadoes. They confirmed 23 people had died, four were missing, and dozens were injured. They also warned that these numbers could change.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves visited the damaged area, calling it a tragedy. The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado caused damage about 60 miles northeast of Jackson, Mississippi. Small towns like Silver City and Rolling Fork were hit as the tornado moved northeast at 70 mph, heading toward Alabama.
Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker told CNN that his town was mostly destroyed. Videos showed houses turned into piles of rubble, cars flipped over, and trees with no branches. Some houses, however, appeared undamaged. Walker said, “We are resilient, and we are going to come back strong.”
The National Weather Service issued a severe alert on Friday night, urging people to take cover and protect their lives. They warned that flying debris could be deadly and that mobile homes would be destroyed.
Cornel Knight, a Rolling Fork resident, described the tornado as “eerily quiet” and watched it approach from a relative’s home. When it got closer, he and his family took cover in a hallway. Another relative’s house nearby was hit, and people were trapped inside.
As the tornado moved towards the town of Amory, a local meteorologist said a prayer during a live broadcast. The damage in Rolling Fork was so severe that storm chasers stopped following the storm to help with rescue efforts or drive injured people to hospitals.
The Sharkey-Issaquena Community Hospital in Rolling Fork was damaged, and the local Sheriff’s Office reported gas leaks and people trapped under rubble. Thousands of customers lost power in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama.
The area affected has many cotton, corn, and soybean fields, as well as catfish farms. Several shelters were opened for those in need. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves encouraged people to stay cautious and pray for those affected.
Meteorology professor Walker Ashley explained that this was a dangerous type of storm called a supercell, and it happened at night, which made it even worse. Experts had warned about the increased risk of tornadoes in the region due to more building in the area.
Earlier on Friday, heavy rainfall in Missouri caused flooding that killed two people and left another missing.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS ALERT FROM RED ALERT NEWS.
