Hurricane and storms leave at least 19 dead in Mississippi, United States – News

At least 19 people were killed in a tornado and severe thunderstorm that struck Mississippi on Friday, officials tell ABC.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) reports that search and rescue operations are underway in Sharkey and Humphreys counties, about 110 kilometers north of Jackson, the state capital.

“Many in the (Mississippi) Delta need your prayers and God’s protection tonight,” Gov. Tate Reeves said on Twitter.

“We have activated medical aid, sending more ambulances and other emergency resources to those affected,” he added, urging citizens to exercise caution.

ABC reported that 13 people died in Sharkey County, three in Carroll County and two more in Monroe County.

In Silver City, Humphreys County, a State Highway Patrol member told the ABC that one person had died.

Television pictures showed destroyed homes and rubble strewn along the roads.

“As for the official damage numbers, we won’t have them until tomorrow,” said Mallari White of MEMA.

The National Weather Service in Jackson said early Saturday that the hurricane warning had expired. “Additional rain and thunderstorms are expected in our area,” he said on Twitter, adding, “We don’t expect it to be severe.”