Governor Tate Reeves has issued a State of Emergency in the counties affected by the mass storms on Friday night, which resulted in at least 23 deaths and four missing as of Saturday morning.
According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), at least 13 of the 23 deaths happened in Rolling Fork while three people died in one home in Carroll County.
Monroe County, home of Amory, also suffered significant damage with two people being killed.
“I would say 40 percent of homes in the town or are in the community are damaged to some sort,” Amory Mayor Corey Glenn told Fox & Friends.
Reeves released the State of Emergency around noon, later adding that President Biden has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist responders and aid with recovery efforts.
I have declared a State of Emergency in the Mississippi counties impacted by last night’s severe storms including tornadoes.
We will marshal every available resource on behalf of our neighbors in need. We’re here for the long haul. pic.twitter.com/yPENOSfZwr
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 25, 2023
“I just spoke with President Biden about the deadly tornados we faced overnight,” Reeves stated over social media. “He assured us FEMA would be there to support our response. The flood of support from governors, businesses, charities, and federal admin has been tremendous—matches the community here on the ground.”
I also spoke to @FEMA_Deanne, who has already deployed emergency response personnel and resources to support search-and-rescue and assess the damage.
We will do everything we can to help. We will work together to deliver the support you need to recover, for as long as it takes.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 25, 2023
Search-and-rescue efforts are still ongoing. At least 11 tornadoes have been reported across Mississippi and Alabama over the last 24 hours.
Since then, MEMA has released a list of shelter locations following a series of tornadoes that cut through the state Friday night.
As of Saturday morning, the following locations are open for those in need:
- National Guard Amory (19719 US 61, Rolling Fork, MS 39159)
- Humphreys County Multipurpose Building (417 Silver City Rd., Belzoni, MS 39038)
- Old Amory National Guard Building (101 S. 9th St., Amory, MS 38821)
MEMA releases shelter locations for those affected by storms
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