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Rescuers sift through debris of pulverized town Rolling Fork after 24 tornadoes batters Mississippi

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A clean-up operation has begun in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, after the rural town bore the brunt of a trail of powerful tornadoes that ripped through the southern state. 

Some 23 people have been confirmed dead in Mississippi and one in Alabama after 24 tornadoes hit the region at 80 miles per hour.

Survivors of the devastating disaster said they were ‘hoping and praying’ as they stayed up all night to help clear the debris.

Rural southern towns of Rolling Fork and Silver City – in Sharkey County, around 60 miles northeast of Jackson – were struck by a particularly devastating tornado just after 8pm on Friday. 

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confirmed he was travelling to Sharkey County on Saturday as he praised the efforts of the ‘brave, capable responders and loving neighbors.’

A rescuer is seen wading through the debris in Rolling Fork, Mississippi on March 25 after the rural town was battered by tornadoes which left 24 dead 

Search and rescue teams have now been deployed to Rolling Fork, along with ambulances

Search and rescue teams have now been deployed to Rolling Fork, along with ambulances

The severe weather event produced hail the size of golf balls as it swept through several southern states

The severe weather event produced hail the size of golf balls as it swept through several southern states 

Private citizens are being urged to not clear up by themselves and wait to volunteer with affiliated groups

Private citizens are being urged to not clear up by themselves and wait to volunteer with affiliated groups 

The Mississippi Emergency Management urged private citizens not to start cleaning-up by themselves and instead wait to work with affiliated groups ‘when the time is right.’

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It added that the Rolling Fork Civic Center is open for donations of water and resources. 

It came as authorities revealed that a husband and wife were found dead in their Rolling Fork home after winds sent a neighbor’s 18-wheel truck slamming into their home. 

Search and rescue teams have now been deployed to Rolling Fork, along with ambulances. 

Emergency shelters are also open and crews have come from all over to help, Gov. Reeves said. 

He wrote on Twitter: ‘Just completed command briefing with our disaster response team. Devastating damage—as everyone knows. 

A resident looks through the piles of debris, insulation, and home furnishings to see if anything is salvageable at a mobile home park in Rolling Fork

A resident looks through the piles of debris, insulation, and home furnishings to see if anything is salvageable at a mobile home park in Rolling Fork

Search and rescue teams have now been deployed to Rolling Fork, along with ambulances

 Search and rescue teams have now been deployed to Rolling Fork, along with ambulances

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves praised the efforts of the 'brave, capable responders and loving neighbors' in Sharkey County

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves praised the efforts of the ‘brave, capable responders and loving neighbors’ in Sharkey County

A sheriff's deputy climbs onto a pile of wind-tossed vehicles to search for survivors or the deceased

A sheriff’s deputy climbs onto a pile of wind-tossed vehicles to search for survivors or the deceased

Local residents said the community had pulled together to get the clean-up operation underway

Local residents said the community had pulled together to get the clean-up operation underway

Rolling Fork resident Shanta Howard described her devastation at having to pull dead bodies out of homes

Rolling Fork resident Shanta Howard described her devastation at having to pull dead bodies out of homes

‘This is a tragedy. I am on my way to Sharkey County to be with the people first hit. 

‘We are blessed with brave, capable responders and loving neighbors. Please continue to pray.’

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Good Samaritans were pictured in High-Viz jackets wading through the debris on Saturday morning.

Rolling Fork resident Shanta Howard said the community had pulled together to help with the operation. 

‘Everybody is helping everybody, not just this part of town – it’s everywhere,’ she told WAPT 16. 

‘Everybody is helping and praying for everybody.’

She also described the horror of the attack which left her fearing for her life.

‘As you can see, nobody has a home here,’ she said.

‘We had to help dead bodies out of the house. That is very disturbing – actually seeing people losing their lives over bad weather like this. 

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‘What was going through my head? ‘Lord I don’t want to die. I don’t want me or the kids to die.’

Fellow resident Edgar O’Neil said: ‘Complete and utter devastation. Just houses, roofs ripped off of houses, walls took down from houses. 

‘I’ve seen several areas where parts of the concrete, the asphalt had been jacked up from the ground. I mean, complete devastation.’

Sharkey County Coroner Angelia Eason confirmed at least 13 people had been killed in Rolling Fork.

She added six bodies were recovered from a mobile home park.

Eason said a husband and wife were killed by their neighbor’s 18-wheel truck that slammed into their home. 

Source: Daily Mail

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