The confirmed tornado touched down in Mississippi, where the damage and death toll have been most severe. State agencies led the search for victims, and FEMA has arrived to help with the recovery.
More than 32,000 homes and businesses in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee were still without power Saturday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us. Thousands more lost service before crews started making repairs.
We’ve wrapped up our live coverage for the day. You can read more about the severe weather that swept through the South here.
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Photos: Severe storms carve path of destruction through Southern communities
From CNN Digital’s Photo Team
Powerful storms and at least one tornado pummeled the Southeast on Friday night, ripping roofs off homes, nearly leveling some neighborhoods and knocking out power for thousands, officials said. At least 26 people were killed and dozens were injured.
The heavily damaged Sharkey County Courthouse in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, stands framed by debris-filled trees on Saturday, March 25, after a tornado devastated the Delta town Friday night.
KeUntey Ousley tries to salvage what he can from his mother's boyfriend's vehicle in Rolling Fork on Saturday as his mother LaShata Ousley and his girlfriend Mikita Davis watch.
What's next: More than 20 million people are at risk for severe storms across the US tomorrow
From CNN's Haley Brink
More than 20 million people are at risk of experiencing severe storms Sunday across much of the southern United States and portions of the Midwest.
A Level 3 out of 5 risk for severe storms has been issued across portions of eastern Louisiana, south-central Mississippi and south-central Alabama. This threat level includes Jackson, Hattiesburg and Meridian in Mississippi, as well as Montgomery and Prattville in Alabama.
“Large hail to very large hail should be the main threat with any supercells,” the Storm Prediction Center said. “Damaging winds and a few tornadoes also appear possible.”
Here’s how forecasters expect the day to play out: Multiple rounds of storms are possible Sunday throughout the day.
The first round of severe storms is likely to hit portions of Alabama and Georgia Sunday morning, bringing with it the threat of large hail. These storms will then push east into the Carolinas by Sunday afternoon, posing a threat for damaging winds.
Additional storms are expected to form across portions of eastern Texas on Sunday afternoon and are forecast to push into Louisiana, Mississippi and eventually Alabama through the afternoon and evening. These storms will be capable of producing large to very large hail, a few tornadoes, and damaging winds.
A Level 1 out of 5 threat includes Rolling Fork and Silver City, Mississippi which were greatly damaged by a tornado Friday night.
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Rep. Bennie Thompson says tornado aftermath is "devastation beyond imagination”
From CNN’s Lauren Koenig
Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi said the aftermath of a tornado plowing through his district is “devastation beyond imagination.”
Thompson toured the damage in the small western city of Rolling Fork Friday night and said, “As the night wore on, it was clear that this was something that people have never seen before.”
He told CNN’s Jim Acosta that, after speaking with President Biden today and FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell, it is clear that, “All hands are on deck.”
Following Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves’ request for a major disaster declaration Saturday, Thompson said Biden told him “the moment he gets it, he will review it and push it right back out the door.”
Thompson represents Mississippi’s second congressional district, where much of the tornado damage is located.
“There is no question that this community cannot come back without significant federal participation,” he said.
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Power outages drop in Southern storm zone as utility crews restore electricity
From CNN’s Andy Rose
Power outages in the areas of Mississippi and Alabama most severely affected by severe weather overnight have dropped as cleanup gets underway.
The tracking website PowerOutage.us showed that as of 6 p.m. ET, 6,565 customers remained without power in Mississippi communities devastated by the storms, while there were 13,532 across Alabama.
As of Saturday afternoon, 12,973 customers still lacked power in Tennessee, which was also hit by the severe weather.
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Mississippi governor asks federal government for expedited disaster declaration
From CNN’s Andy Rose
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves shakes hands with a highway patrol officer as he visits volunteers helping in the aftermath of a tornado in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on March 25.
(Governor of Mississippi Tate Reeves via Twitter/Handout/Reuters)
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves is asking President Joe Biden’s administration for an expedited major disaster declaration as cleanup begins from Friday night’s storms.
Such a declaration allows the federal government to pump additional resources into a disaster area when state resources determine they are overwhelmed.
The state is asking for assistance for Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe and Sharkey Counties.
The state says at least 25 people died in Mississippi due to the storms.
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Storm chaser says Mississippi storm brought his "closest call" ever with a violent tornado
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
Storm chaser Zachary Hill drove into Rolling Fork, Mississippi, Friday night, “about two minutes before the tornado hit” and said he didn’t hear any tornado sirens.
Hill said his group “drove into Rolling Fork with the expectation of this storm traveling northeast and going just north of town — that did not happen.”
He called it the “closest call I’ve ever had with a violent tornado.”
“It’s just apocalyptic,” Hill said of the storm’s aftermath.
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Curfew and boil water notice in effect for Mississippi city following severe weather damage
From CNN’s Andy Rose
The remains of a recreational vehicle garage and the safe room is damaged in Amory, Mississippi, on March 25.
(Jim Lytle/AP)
The city of Amory, Mississippi, is under an emergency boil water notice Saturday due to severe weather damage.
The department is also enforcing an overnight curfew starting at 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. ET) Saturday night.
“Please remain off of the streets unless you are a first responder,” the police department said.
Amory is located in northeast Mississippi, about 25 miles from Tupelo.
The National Weather Service has survey teams in four Mississippi counties Saturday to assess damage.
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Mississippi storm death toll rises to 25
From CNN’s Andy Rose
More fatalities from severe storms overnight in Mississippi were confirmed Saturday afternoon by the state Emergency Management Agency, bringing the death toll in the state to 25.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said dozens of people were injured in the storms.
Tracy Hardin, center, who with her husband Tim, left, own Chuck's Dairy Bar, consoles a neighbor in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on March 25.
(Rogelio V. Solis/AP)
In the wake of the powerful storms that killed at least two dozen people in the Mississippi Delta, aid groups are on the ground assisting those in need.
Here are ways you can help the relief effort, and also ways you can get assistance:
Team Rubicon: Team Rubicon is on the ground in the devastated town of Rolling Fork performing chainsaw operations to clear roads for residents and first responders. The group is also set up to help survivors clear trees, tarp roofs and muck out debris inside homes. Devon Miller of Team Rubicon told CNN the group is looking for new volunteers. Although the team is led by military veterans, first responders and civilians can also sign up to volunteer.
The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army (Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi Division) has deployed their canteens to Rolling Fork, Amory, Silver City, and Winona, Mississippi. These mobile units distribute ready-to-eat meals and water to people in need. William Trueblood, Emergency Disaster Services Director for The Salvation Army ALM Division, expects to distribute between 16,000 and 20,000 meals daily. Donations and volunteer support will be vital. Volunteers not already trained with the organization can be paired with certified workers to join the deployed canteen crews.
The Red Cross: Red Cross of Alabama and Mississippi have set up a shelter in Humphreys County at the Greenville Multipurpose Center for those who have been displaced. The group is also serving meals.
The Centers for Disaster Philanthropy: The Center for Disaster Philanthropy is focusing on long-term recovery needs such as rebuilding homes and mental health services.
SAMHSA: If you’re facing emotional distress as a result of this tragedy, experienced counselors from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) Distress Hotline are available for 24/7 emotional support. Call or text 1-800-985-5990.
NMRLS: North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (NMRLS) helping residents of north Mississippi with legal issues related to property loss. If you are in need of their services, call their hotline at 1-800-498-1804 Monday through Thursday between 9:30 am to 3:30 pm and press Option # 3 to get help.
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First responders still are in "life-saving, life-sustaining mode” after deadly storms, FEMA head says
From CNN’s Nikki Carvajal
First responders “still are in a life-saving, life-sustaining mode” after deadly storms devastated parts of Mississippi and Alabama overnight, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said Saturday.
A FEMA team is on the way to collaborate with state agencies and provide for any immediate needs with federal resources, Criswell told CNN’s Fredericka Whitfield. She said FEMA will also start planning for long-term recovery efforts.
Criswell said she spoke with President Joe Biden earlier Saturday and gave him an update on the situation. She said she’ll be traveling to the area Sunday so she can get a firsthand look. FEMA is working with local officials to figure out “what the state needs right and where they have resource gaps,” she added.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has already declared a disaster emergency, and Criswell said the administration will work to expedite the process of declaring a major disaster at the federal level, freeing up more resources.
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Biden says he's praying for tornado victims and keeping in touch with local officials
From CNN’s Nikki Carvajal
Biden speaks to the media in a joint press conference in Ottawa, Canada on March 24.
(Kyle Mazza/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
President Joe Biden spoke with state and local leaders after deadly storms swept across the South overnight and said he is “praying for those who have lost loved ones” and “for those whose loved ones are missing.”
In a statement, the president wrote that he had reached out to Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, that he had spoken with Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, and that he had touched base with Rep. Bennie Thompson about the situation.
Biden expressed condolences and offered “full federal support as communities recover from the effects of this storm.”
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Mississippi governor declares state of emergency in wake of deadly storms
From CNN's Melissa Alonso and Devon Sayers
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves issued a state of emergency Saturday in all counties affected by the severe storms that swept across the state Friday, according to a statement.
“I’m devastated by the destruction and loss of life that these storms have caused,” Reeves said. “The state of Mississippi will continue doing everything we can to marshal every resource available to support our fellow Mississippians who are in need. The state will be there to help them rebuild.”
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Mississippi governor and FEMA officials head to tornado-ravaged county
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves speaks during his State of the State address before a joint session of the Mississippi Legislature on the steps of the State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, on January 30.
(Rogelio V. Solis/AP)
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves and state emergency officials are heading to hard-hit Sharkey County, on the west side of the state near the border with Arkansas and Louisiana.
Several state agencies are also “responding to the devastating tornadoes that swept through the state overnight,” according to a press release from Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). The agency said “life safety is the number one priority and damage assessments will begin soon.”
The 23 storm fatalities reported so far in the state are in Sharkey, Humphreys, Carroll, and Monroe counties. There are still “dozens” injured and at least four people missing, according to state emergency officials.
“Life safety is the number one priority and damage assessments will begin soon,” MEMA said, adding that several state agencies are responding across Mississippi.
Transportation department damaged: While there are no reports of damaged roadways in the Sharkey County area, a campus for the Mississippi Department of Transportation has been significantly damaged, MEMA said.
According to the statement, big trucks are being detoured around Rolling Fork due to low or damaged power lines. The power company is working to make repairs.
“Humphreys County is using its multipurpose building for shelter. The American Red Cross will set up a shelter at the Greenville Multipurpose Center. The Red Cross is also providing food, offering one thousand meals for breakfast, one thousand meals for lunch, and one thousand meals for dinner,” MEMA said.
Federal resources: A FEMA team is also headed to the county, according to MEMA.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorksaid as his department will “provide support to the impacted communities” via the FEMA team.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the communities in Mississippi that have been struck by the devastating tornadoes,” Mayorkas said in a tweet, adding he has been in touch with Gov. Reeves and lawmakers from the state.
CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez, Nick Valencia and Jessica Jordan contributed reporting.
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Tornadoes in the Southeast are getting worse — and they’re often the deadliest
From CNN's Madison Park and Emily Smith
Law-enforcement officers climb through debris on a diner looking for survivors early Saturday, March 25, 2023 in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Emergency officials in Mississippi say several people have been killed by tornadoes that tore through the state on Friday night, destroying buildings and knocking out power as severe weather produced hail the size of golf balls moved through several southern states.
(Rogelio Solis/AP)
In recent years, scientists have noticed an increased frequency of tornadoes in the Southeast, carving a path of lost property and lives.
And while “Tornado Alley” states in the Great Plains still lead in the total number of tornadoes, more are appearing in the Southeast, in eastern Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
Tornadoes shifting further east have been taking a devastating toll.
Southeast tornadoes are harder to spot: Unlike the Plains, where a tornado can be seen coming from miles away, the Southeast has more rugged terrain and more trees, making it more difficult to spot a tornado. Many tornadoes occurring in the area are “rain-wrapped,” so they are less visible to the naked eye, CNN meteorologists said.
Tornadoes in the South tend to stay on the ground longer and move faster. Many storms across the Southern states are pushed by a stronger jet stream, which results in faster-moving storms.
And many of the storms occur overnight, when most people are sleeping and unaware a tornado is approaching.
Parts of the Southeast are more populated: Tornadoes in the Southeast present different vulnerabilities, Victor Gensini, a professor of meteorology at Northern Illinois University, told CNN.
“As you move east from Kansas to Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, the population density increases rapidly, and we also have an issue in the Southeast of more mobile homes,” he said. “If you get hit in a mobile home from a tornado, you’re much more likely to be killed. You just have a really unique exposure and vulnerability problem.”
Even though there are fewer tornadoes in the Southeast than in the Central Plains, there have been more deaths in the Mid-South/Southeast region, because they are occurring in more populated areas.
Mississippi congressional delegation responds to tornado damage
From CNN’s Alayna Treene
A series of Mississippi lawmakers responded to the powerful storms and tornado damage that ripped through the state Friday night.
Here’s what they had to say:
Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompsontweeted Saturday morning: “After touring Rolling Fork and Silver City last night, I will be supporting a federal disaster declaration for all communities impacted. I witnessed firsthand the heroic efforts of our first responders.”
GOP Sen. Roger Wicker wrote: “I am actively working with state, local, & federal officials tosee that recovery efforts proceed at once. Our delegation will work together to make sure Mississippi families & businesses receive prompt federal assistance. Gayle & I are praying for our devastated communities.”
GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smithtweeted: “It was a tragic night in Mississippi. I am heartbroken by the loss of life and damage tocommunities. I stand at the ready to support disaster declarations as we look to recover from the devastation these tornadoes left in their wake. Praying for all affected.”
Republican Rep. Michael Guestwrote: “Haley and I join our state in mourning the loss of our fellow Mississippians in last night’s weather. Please join us in prayer for the families and friends of those who perished or were injured in the storms.”
GOP Rep. Mike Ezellwrote Saturday morning: “Please join me in prayer for all those affected by last night’s tornadoes & for the first responders who rushed to serve their fellow Mississippians. I’m prepared to work alongside other federal, state, & local leaders in every way possible as we begin the process of recovery.
CNN has contacted their offices, as well as the office of GOP Rep. Trent Kelly, for further comment.
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Mississippi constable says hard-hit town "looks like a landfill" after storms
From CNN's Melissa Alonso
“The entire community is gone” in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, said Jeremy McCoy, the constable of neighboring Yazoo County.
Rolling Fork is located in Sharkey County, which is on the west side of Mississippi near the border with Arkansas and Louisiana.
Chuck’s Dairy Bar owner Tracy Harden told CNN she and several others hid in a freezer during the storm and narrowly escaped the destruction.
The Yazoo County constable said a funeral home and a veterinarian’s office in Sharkey are “completely gone.”
McCoy said he canvassed the dark and decimated area, “just hoping to hear somebody calling out, listening for baby crying.”
“I took my ATV over … looking up in the trees, underneath houses,” he said. But there was “no sign of life” when he arrived — “just nothing,” he said.
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State agency asks residents not to join the search-and-rescue effort on their own
From CNN’s Keith Allen
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency urged residents not to independently join the ongoing search-and-rescue effort Saturday morning after a tornado killed at least 23 people in the state.
In a tweet Saturday morning, the department said volunteers will be connected with state-organized groups at an appropriate time.
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Alabama man dies after getting trapped in mobile home during storm, county official says
From CNN’s Keith Allen and Melissa Alonso
A Morgan County, Alabama, man was killed after being trapped inside his mobile home Friday night, according to a spokesperson from the county’s emergency management department.
There are still widespread power outages throughout Morgan County after Friday night’s deadly storms, and officials are out working to assess the damage Saturday morning, the spokesperson, Brandy Davis, tells CNN.
Davis said it is unclear whether one powerful storm struck the county, or if two separate storms hit the area Friday night. She added that further information on the type and number of storms is expected Saturday.
Devastating toll of the storms: Mississippi faced the worst of the storms that ripped through the South Friday night, and it accounts for 23 of the 24 storm-related deaths that officials have confirmed to CNN as of Saturday morning.
The man killed in his Morgan County mobile home is the first notice of a death in Alabama that CNN has received from officials.
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Mississippi business owner says she and others survived the tornado by sheltering in freezer
From CNN's Isabel Rosales, Jaide Timm-Garcia and Melissa Alonso
Tracy Harden, owner of Chuck’s Dairy Bar in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, told CNN a freezer “is what saved our lives” when a tornado ravaged her city and business.
She and several others who were inside the business ran for cover the moment the tornado hit, Harden explained to CNN’s Isabel Rosales.
Harden said a customer who broke his arm was among the people she sheltered with, and he helped free the group from the freezer.
“He made a way to get us out and got us out—I don’t know who he is, but I thank him,” she said.
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