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President Joe Biden on Sunday issued a major disaster declaration in Mississippi after tornadoes left dozens of people dead, according to a White House statement.
Biden early on Sunday “declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Mississippi and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes from March 24 to March 25, 2023.”
Federal disaster funding will be made available for affected individuals in Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, and Sharkey counties, the White House said. Assistance can be used for temporary housing, home repairs, low-interest loans to cover property losses, and other programs, it said.
Multiple tornadoes ripped through Mississippi and Alabama starting Friday, destroying entire towns and leaving at least 26 dead in Mississippi and one dead in Alabama, according to officials. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared an emergency in affected areas and wrote on Twitter that the state activated its medical support system.
“Many in the MS Delta need your prayer and God’s protection tonight,” Reeves said in a post. “Watch weather reports and stay cautious through the night, Mississippi!”
Biden, meanwhile, issued a statement on Saturday addressing the devastation. The president said that he had communicated with Reeves and other Mississippi officials and would provide federal support, adding that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) representatives have been deployed to tornado-hit areas.
