At least 26 dead as deadly storms batter Mississippi, Alabama l GMA
The aftermath of the devastating tornado outbreak that tore through the south. Our hearts go out to all of those communities. Since Friday there have been at least 27 reported tornadoes in five states and you are looking live at some of the destruction in Mississippi. More than two dozen people killed an entire city basically destroyed. These are before and after satellite pictures of Rolling Fork, virtually nothing left but rubble. We have team coverage of the severe weather beginning with Whit Johnson in Rolling Fork. Good morning, Whit.
George, good morning to you. The devastation here in Rolling Fork is so widespread sometimes it takes a minute for your eyes to actually adjust to what you're seeing here. This here is the underbelly of a bus tossed on its side surrounded by random household items, some appliances over there. People here tell me they were bracing for bad weather, even the possibility of tornadoes, but never expected anything like this. This morning the massive cleanup efforts underway after the region was devastated by this monster EF4 tornado on the ground for over an hour, killing more than two dozen people. Is there a big tornado, big wedge? Accurate weather capturing the nearly mile wide tornado as it cut a 60 mile path of destruction across Mississippi. In Amory school surveillance video showing a different tornado ripping through the hallways debris raining from the ceiling.
I know we can rebuild, but what you do with the devastation, what you do with the whole thing. A local meteorologist watching the tornado approach praying for those in its path. Oh man. Dear Jesus, please help them. Amen. The tornado is hitting at the most dangerous time after dark. All I could hear was breaking wonders.
It come through my house. Much of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, unrecognizable, reduced to rubble stretching for miles. And you can see just the power of this EF4 tornado, uprooting trees and take a look at this large SUV that clearly went airborne now resting on this pile of debris. Governor Tate Reeves touring the disaster zone with FEMA. We remain committed to the people of Mississippi. We will be here for you now. We will be here for you next week.
Confidérators stove. Local police officer Antoine Jones and his girlfriend survived by hunkering down in their bathtub. It sound like a train, a loud train coming through. The entire house ripped to pieces around them. Once we grabbed each other, this one, the tub came out of the foundation and we began to roll in the inside. The debris falling on top of us and all we were doing was holding each other just praying. And this morning, we're learning more about the lives lost.
Two-year-old Aubrey died during the brutal storms in Silver City, Mississippi. Her aunts, standing with our Rob Marciano in front of the wreckage where the family home once stood. It's so sad because like I'm just standing here and I can just see her at the door smiling. It's just so hard for her. You can get so shocked to everybody. Baby Aubrey's seven-year-old cousin, badly injured, now fighting for his life in the ICU. Rodney Pierce mourning the loss of his dad, L.
A. and Melissa, his stepmom. The couple killed when a semi-truck landed on their roof, crushing their home. We finally found them over here laying on their dad eight-same weight. He was on his back and she was just laying beside him with her arm on. But amid all of this devastation and loss, the community trying to heal. Parishioners at the Rolling Fork United Methodist Church bowing their heads in prayer, the roof now ripped off.
But the survivors united, giving thanks for what they have. And the mayor of Rolling Fork, who also happens to be the funeral director here, tells me that he lost a number of friends and the community is just simply devastated. They've gone through so much. He says that most of the area here is uninhabitable. Almost all the buildings have been wiped out. Nearly a total loss. There are still a few left standing, but those that are still there are so heavily damaged that people mostly can't go inside.
But I will say that as we've been walking throughout this community and talking to people, they are so strong and resilient here. We see little signs of that. The American flag posted on the bottom of this bus. We've seen that. We've seen the flag put up a number of places around town. We've also seen various vendors coming from out of town, bringing food, bringing water, bringing supplies, offering everything they can. To try to help the people here in need.
George? Our hearts go out to all of them. Okay, Wic, thanks very much.
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