Topline
At least 23 people are dead after tornadoes tore across Mississippi overnight while thousands more are without power Saturday morning, according to state emergency officials, who said they expect the death toll to rise as cleanup and rescue efforts continue.
At least 23 people were killed by overnight tornadoes in Mississippi.
Key Facts
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MSEMA) said Saturday morning that 23 people were killed by tornadoes in the state, while dozens more were injured and four people were missing.
The agency noted the death toll and numbers for people injured and missing “are expected to change,” as both the agency and Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) said search and rescue teams are still active throughout the state.
A state of emergency has been issued by Reeves for all counties affected by the tornadoes, according to MSEMA, as Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials have been in contact with the governor for possible aid.
There were more than 1.3 million people without power in Mississippi overnight, though there are only 15,315 without power as of 9:30 a.m., according to PowerOutage.us, in addition to 45,495 in Tennessee and 19,674 in Alabama.
The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado 60 miles northeast of Jackson, Mississippi, before it moved through Silver City and Rolling Fork—though other tornadoes were reported across portions of Tennessee, Texas and Missouri.
A resident looks through the piles of debris, insulation, and home furnishings of a Rolling Fork … [+]
A pair of sneakers and pants lay in front of the skeletal remains of the underside of a mobile home … [+]
Tracy Hardin, who with her husband Tim, own Chuck’s Dairy Bar in Rolling Fork, surveys the tornado … [+]
A pickup truck rests on top of a restaurant cooler at Chuck’s Dairy Cafe in Rolling Fork.
Emergency rescuers and first responders climb through a tornado demolished mobile home park.
Crucial Quote
Eldridge Walker, the mayor of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, told CNN that his town had been severely damaged, noting that “my city is gone.”
Big Number
281. That’s how many tornadoes have been reported in 2023 as of March 25, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.
Key Background
There were at least 12 tornado reports across Mississippi and Alabama late Friday, according to the Storm Prediction Center, including storms that hit Rolling Fork, Silver City and Anguilla, Mississippi. The service issued a tornado emergency warning—the service’s most severe tornado warning—across portions of Mississippi, indicating possible life-threatening conditions throughout the night. The service also warned of flying debris and said that damage to homes, businesses and vehicles was “likely” and that “complete destruction is possible.”
Further Reading
Mississippi Tornadoes Kill 23, Injure Dozens Overnight (AP)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2023/03/25/photos-of-devastation-tornadoes-kill-23-while-flattening-parts-of-mississippi/