At least 26 people have died since several tornadoes swept across the states of Mississippi and Alabama in the United States. The biggest is the devastation in the small community of Rolling Fork. – It is heartbreaking. But we will rebuild our city again, says Ronnia Pope. Rescue workers in Mississippi are combing through fallen trees, rubble and destroyed houses in search of trapped survivors. Worst affected are areas around the Mississippi Delta, which is considered one of the poorest parts of the United States. In the small town of Rolling Fork, northwest of Jackson, entire neighborhoods have been leveled by the storm. “Friends and memories have been destroyed” One of the victims is Ronnia Pope. He was born and raised in the city. – It is completely catastrophic. So many of my relatives, friends and memories have been destroyed, he says. The town, which was once home to about 2,000 residents, is largely wiped out the day after the tornado. – How anyone managed to survive this I can’t understand, says Rodney Porter, who himself lives a few miles outside Rolling Fork. Biden: “Jill and I pray for them” On Sunday, President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Mississippi. – Jill and I pray for those who have lost loved ones and for those who have relatives who are still missing, writes Biden on Twitter. Declaring a state of emergency opens the door for the state to step in with financial support. The money is to be used, among other things, for temporary housing, repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, the White House announced, according to CNN. For Ronnia Pope, the work continues to clean up the city and make sure friends and family have somewhere to sleep. – It is heartbreaking. But it is not over, we will rebuild our city again, says Pope. See pictures and hear voices from Mississippi in the player above.
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The Disaster After Deadly Tornadoes: Communities Gone – Friends Dead
