The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has ordered to deploy federal aid to the state of Mississippi to reinforce local devices in the areas affected by the devastating tornadoes, the White House announced on Sunday.
U.S. federal funds are earmarked for grants for temporary housing, repairs and reduced-rate loans to cover losses of uninsured property.
"The images from all over Mississippi are heartbreaking. While we are still assessing the full extent of the damage, we know that many of our fellow citizens are not only grieving for family and friends, but have also lost their homes and businesses," Biden said in a statement.
The president added that the federal government will do "everything possible to help" and will be there "as long as necessary," through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which has already sent troops to the area.
Biden has held separate phone calls with Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, and Mississippi Reps. Roger Wicker, Cinty Hyde-Smith and Bennie Thompson to express his condolences for the lives lost and damage in the state. The president has conveyed his commitment to deliver federal aid "as soon as possible" to the affected areas and to help in reconstruction.
The president also spoke by phone with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell, who will travel to Mississippi on Sunday to oversee relief efforts.
The area hardest hit by the tornadoes has been the city of Rolling Fork in Sharkey County, Mississippi.
"Much of the city has been destroyed," including all businesses on a commercial and retail stretch of a local highway, former city Mayor Fred Miller told Fox News.
The latest figures from authorities speak of at least 26 deaths from Friday's tornadoes in Mississippi and Alabama, in the southern United States. In addition, dozens of people have been injured by what they have defined as "devastating lethal tornadoes."
Also, the National Weather Service has advanced that there is an elevated risk of strong storms this Sunday in eastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi and southern Alabama.
The forecast suggests that the biggest threat will be hail, although it does not rule out strong winds and tornadoes.
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