At least 23 dead, four missing, dozens injured, hundreds left homeless and extensive damage: this is the only temporary toll of the last devastating hurricane to hit the Mississippi in the United States. Unfortunately, the numbers are bound to rise.” About 100,000 people are still without electricity, including those in neighboring states Tennessee and Alabama.
hurricane over the Mississippi
According to the National Weather Service, it’s one of the deadliest hurricanes in Mississippi history — it took just five more lives. And there’s a risk of resumption of severe storms expected in eastern Texas, central Louisiana, south-central Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia over the next few hours.
Friday night’s hurricane of wind, water and golf ball-sized hail is the latest in extreme weather in the southern United States, where hurricane season peaks between April and June. 168 people have been registered in the US since January, the second-highest number on record, a record a record number of experts have linked to climate change.
Drone footage shows the destruction in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, after a deadly and powerful storm system hit late Friday. At least 23 people died in Mississippi and one in Alabama. Emergency officials said dozens more were injured. https://t.co/7iBwPIS5E5 pic.twitter.com/zjLBMR1olE
– The New York Times (@nytimes) 25 March 2023
A hurricane in Mississippi raged for 100 miles (160 km) between Silver City, a 200-person western village, and Rolling Fork, a town of 1,700, both located about 80 miles north of the state capital of Jackson. Sometimes it’s enough to go a few kilometers away and it will save you from his blind anger. “My city is gone, but we are resilient, we will come back strong,” said Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker, who counted at least 12 residents dead.
But for now, American networks only show apocalyptic images: uprooted trees “like toothpicks”, houses razed to the ground, cars destroyed, rubble everywhere. I must say that in much of the USA, especially in rural areas like this, houses are made of plasterboard and electricity still flows through wooden poles.
But the destructive power of nature is evident. “I’ve never seen anything like it before,” said Brandy Showah, a Rolling Fork resident who has seen many tornadoes. “The town was razed to the ground like a bomb had struck,” repeated Bruce Williams, the sheriff of Humphreys County, where the three deaths occurred. “As everyone can see, devastating damage. It’s a tragedy,” tweeted state governor Tate Reeves, who rushed to Sharkey County, which was hit hardest.
Biden: ‘We will do anything to help’
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to rescue the people trapped under the rubble. A race against time and the threat of a new wave of bad weather. Expressing his closeness to those who lost their loved ones, homes and workplaces and those who hope to find the missing alive, Joe Biden admitted “heartbreaking images”.
The president promised federal aid and a disaster situation. “We will do everything we can to help, be there as long as needed, and work together to give you the support you need for your recovery,” said the president of the United States. Biden and his wife, Jill, described the footage from Mississippi as “heartbreaking” in a statement: “While we are still assessing the full extent of the damage, many of our compatriots not only mourn for family and friends, but have lost their homes and jobs”.
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
