Mississippi tornado recovery will likely take years, officials say

Tornadoes hit communities across central Mississippi
Becky Myles, 56, searches for belongings in the wreckage of her home after thunderstorms spawning high straight-line winds and tornadoes ripped across the state in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, U.S. March 26, 2023. REUTERS/Cheney Orr Photograph: Cheney Orr/Reuters

Long-term recovery from Friday’s deadly, devastating tornado in Mississippi will likely take years, US government officials have cautioned as communities throughout the deep south state destroyed by the storm sought reassurance they would not be forgotten.

A powerful tornado ripped apart towns and municipalities in Mississippi’s delta region and other parts of the state, leaving a confirmed 21 dead and dozens wounded over the weekend, marking one of the deadliest in the state for decades.