Tornadoes in Mississippi reached full strength Friday evening local time. Hardest hit are the smaller communities of Silver City and Rolling Fork northwest of the city of Jackson. At least 14 deaths have been reported as a result of the storm. The number of injured is still unclear.
To meet the devastation, emergency personnel have been called in from nearby towns. The work focuses on searching for missing persons among the racial masses.
“We roll out ambulances and other crisis resources to those affected. Search operations have begun,” writes state governor Tate Reeves on Twitter.
In addition to extensive damage, the tornado has also torn down power lines, resulting in widespread power outages. Over 80,000 households and businesses are estimated to be affected, according to CNN.
Caravans were swept along by the wind
Roger Cummings, who lives in Silver Lake, tells American CBS that all the trailers that many of the community’s residents lived in have literally been blown away.
– It will be tough. Pray for us, that’s all I want to say, he says.
The storm in Mississippi is expected to continue throughout the night, local time. Tornado warnings have also been issued for northern Alabama and parts of Tennessee on Saturday.