Extreme weather events increasing in severity, frequency says U.S. official on visit to storm ravaged Mississippi

Record ID: 1717251

  • Title: Extreme weather events increasing in severity, frequency says U.S. official on visit to storm ravaged Mississippi
  • Date: 26th March 2023
  • Summary: ROLLING FORK, MISSISSIPPI, UNITED STATES (MARCH 26, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BADLY DAMAGED BUILDING WITH ROOF MISSING PAN FROM BUILDING TO FALLEN TREES AND DEBRIS IN WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY THE CITY'S BUSINESS DISTRICT RESPONSE WORKERS IN FLUORESCENT YELLOW VESTS NEAR DOWNED TREES WIDE OF OFFICIALS AND OTHERS IN THE DISTANCE, ASSESSING DAMAGE TO THE AREA VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING NEAR MASSIVE FALLEN TREE MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR TATE REEVES AT MICROPHONE STAND, SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR, TATE REEVES, SAYING: "I want to personally thank President Biden and his team for very quickly signing the emergency declaration that we signed up on yesterday. Obviously, the resources that the people here in Rolling Fork and throughout Mississippi need, help is on the way. And I think that's critically important. I want to take the opportunity to personally thank all of the volunteers that are here. What we've seen over the last 36 hours in Mississippi, on the one hand, has been heartbreaking to see the loss and devastation of these communities. But on the other hand, has been inspiring and gives me great reason for optimism. And quite frankly, it makes me damn proud to be a Mississippian, because Mississippians have done what Mississippians do in times of tragedy, in times of crisis. They stand up and they show up." WIDE OF REEVES TURNING AND GREETING U.S. SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS / MAYORKAS WALKING UP TO THE MICROPHONE STAND (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY, ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, SAYING: "We see extreme weather events increasing, increasing in gravity, in severity, and in frequency. And we have to build our communities to be best prepared for them to prevent the devastation to the extent possible, to be able to quickly respond and recover, to prove ourselves resilient, we cannot do that alone. We need one another. And that is what we are here to communicate." RESPONSE WORKERS NEAR PILES OF DEBRIS WIDE OF MAYOR OF ROLLING FORK ELDRIDGE WALKER SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MAYOR OF ROLLING FORK, ELDRIDGE WALKER, SAYING: "This is the Bible belt and we were all taught that a family that prays together stays together. This is a family, a family of unity, a family of strength. And this is what we need to make this community come back once again. And lastly, I'm not only just the mayor of this community, but I've lost personal friends. I'm also the local funeral director. Now I'm having to meet families, those who have lost loved ones, and help them make it through. This a traumatic time. But you know what? I'm a firm believer that when you do right, right will follow you. And I think that I've been prepared to take on this task, and I'm going to do it in the name of the mayor of the City of Rolling Fork and of the man that I am and that God has made me to be. So, I want to thank each of you who are here for all that you have done and all that you will do in the future days. Thank you so much." REEVES WALKING UP TO THE MICROPHONE STAND (SOUNDBITE) (English) MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR, TATE REEVES, SAYING: "Thank you, Mayor. Thank you for doing right. Thank you for doing right - not just in these times of tragedy, but every single day. Thank you. Thank you." WHITE FLASH VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS SPEAKING WITH EACH OTHER AND OTHERS NEAR THE DAMAGED BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 9th April 2023 20:02
  • Keywords: Alejandro Mayorkas Mississippi tornado Rolling Fork Tate Reeves climate change deadly tornado destroyed buildings
  • Location: ROLLING FORK, MISSISSIPPI, UNITED STATES
  • City: ROLLING FORK, MISSISSIPPI, UNITED STATES
  • Country: US
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,North America,Wind/Hurricane/Typhoons/Tornadoes
  • Reuters ID: LVA001040026032023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Governor Tate Reeves told Mississippi residents 'help is on the way' on Sunday (March 26) in the aftermath of a powerful storm that tore across the state, killing at least 25 people there and one in Alabama.
    "I want to personally thank President Biden and his team for very quickly signing the emergency declaration, " Reeves said at a joint news conference with state and federal officials.
    Biden approved an emergency declaration for Mississippi on Sunday. The President ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the affected areas, a White House Statement said.
    At the same news conference, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas warned, "We see extreme weather events increasing, only increasing in gravity, in severity, and in frequency. And we have to build our communities to be best prepared for them to prevent the devastation to the extent possible."
    (Production: Sandra Stojanovic and Deborah Gembara)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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