President Joe Biden approved federal aid in a major disaster declaration after a powerful storm with straight-line winds and deadly tornadoes ripped through parts of Mississippi and Alabama over the weekend, killing at least 26 people and injuring many more.
According to reports, an EF-4 tornado with wind gusts up to 170 mph leveled most of the Rolling Fork community, a town of about 2,000 near Mississippi’s western border. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, tornadoes reaching EF-4 or EF-5 levels are considered violent and extremely rare.
White House officials said the aid would go toward temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Biden administration officials approved the aid for the Mississippi counties of Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, and Sharkey to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain…
