Relief efforts still underway nearly 2 months after north Mississippi tornadoes

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – Rolling Fork. Silver City. Amory.

All three are cities in Mississippi that were torn apart on March 24 when terrible tornadoes came a-ravaging.

Since then, the clean-up and volunteer efforts have been exceptional, with people coming from all directions to help out in any way they can.

It’s been nearly two months since the tornadoes ripped through north Mississippi.

The cleanup process is going well, but there is a lot more to be done.

“We’ve seen a lot of debris removal happen already and it’s still a priority,” said Allie Jasper, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. “It still needs to be done. Volunteers still are needed for that debris removal because it’s on private property and some of those private properties and some of those private property owners just need help getting it cleaned up.”

Debris removal is one of the first steps in any relief effort, and in the communities affected, great progress has been made.

“(About) 1.15 million cubic yards of debris have been removed from those areas across the state that were impacted by this storm,” Jasper said. “That is a tremendous amount of debris that has been already picked up.

“But, there is a lot more to go and it’s still a priority.”

Though many donations have come in steadily over the last few weeks, the need remains acute.

“The areas that were impacted by this storm still need donations,” Jasper said. “There are donation centers that are open in Sharkey, Humphreys and Carroll counties, and they need things like cleaning supplies and nonperishable foods at this point.”

Mobile home donations by Samaritans Purse were made in Amory Friday.

These homes were made specifically to endure wind speeds up to 110 miles per hour. The average mobile home only can withstand winds of 70 miles an hour.

For disaster relief information or where to donate, click here

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