The declaration followed the death of at least 25 people in the state due to storms and a tornado. Search and recovery efforts in Mississippi are still underway. US President Joe Biden approved on Sunday an emergency declaration for Mississippi, after the state was hit by devastating storms and a tornado which killed at least 25 people and left much destruction. One person was killed in Alabama. The declaration involves federal aid to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the affected areas, according to a White House statement. What does the declaration mean? The declaration offers funding for individuals affected by the tornado. The funding is available for those impacted in the counties of Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, and Sharkey. Authorities were also assessing other areas and counties, with the possibility of extending aid further. Aid is offered in the form of programs meant to help individuals and business owners recover from the devastation. Programs include grants for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves issued a state of emergency. He pledged to help rebuild the devastated state as he inspected the damage. Over six shelters were opened in the state to house those displaced by the tornado. Recovery efforts underway Search and recovery crews continued on Sunday to dig through the debris, with the tornado leaving behind a trail of flattened and destroyed homes, buildings and offices, and displacing hundreds of people. The National Weather Service warned that more severe weather could still be on the way on Sunday. Eastern Louisiana, south central Mississippi and south central Alabama could be hit with high winds, large hail and possible tornadoes, the service cautioned. "Houses are gone, houses stacked on top of houses with vehicles on top of that," Rodney Porter, who lives near the severely battered town of Rolling Fork, told the AP news agency. "How anybody survived is unknown by me." Preliminary information on the storm suggested the tornado was on the ground for over an hour, traversing at least 170 miles (274 kilometers), Lance Perrilloux, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the AP. He described it as "very, very rare."

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, has expressed sadness over the damages caused by super cyclone Amphan in Bangladesh as he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said Prince Charles wrote this letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on behalf of himself and his wife Duchess of Cornwall Camilla. “My wife and I wanted you to know how deeply we feel for the people of Bangladesh following the loss of life and utter devastation caused by cyclonic storm Amphan,” Charles wrote in the letter. Prince Charles said their hearts go out to all those who have been so cruelly bereaved or injured, or whose homes have been swept away by the cyclone. “We understand how dreadfully difficult this must have been as your people prepared to celebrate what should have been a joyful Eid,” he wrote. Prince Charles added: “Our greatest possible sympathy and our special prayers are with the people of Bangladesh at such a desperately anxious time, as you battle against the effects of both the COVID-19 pandemic and this appallingly severe storm.” Amphan made landfall in India and Bangladesh on May 20 evening, wreaking havoc in Bangladesh coastlines and in the Indian state of West Bengal. Source: BSS AH

State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr. Md. Enamur Rahman said, the cyclone ‘Bulbul’may hit south-western region of Bangladesh from evening to midnight on Saturday. But there is no fear of massive damage except for crops due to influence of the cyclone. Shelter centers are prepared in seven coastal districts of south-western region to face the damage of life and properties influenced by the cyclone. The State Minister said these to the newsmen after holding preparation meeting at the secretariat on Friday. Dr. Md. Enamur Rahman said, to face the damage 56 thousand volunteers are ready at the district and upazila level. People will be moved to the shelter centers considering the situation. Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Barguna, Patuakhali, Pirozpur and Bhola districts are considered as risky. There are also preparations to shift the people to shelter centers of the seven districts. By this time each shelter center were provided two thousand packets of dry food. The severe cyclone ‘Bulbul’ created in Bay of Bengal is heading towards the coast with maximum wind speed of 125 kilometers. It is heading towards the Sundarbans. The State Minister also said, there is a fear of five to seven feet tidal wave in the coastal areas caused by the cyclone considering its approaching tendency. By this time leave of the officials of concerned ministry, district and upazila administration has been cancelled. Concerned officers of the ministry, division and directorate were present at the press conference. AH  

Damage worth taka 536 crore 61 lakh 20 thousand has been created in houses, embankments, roads and agriculture due to cyclone ‘Fani’. The information was delivered on behalf of the government on Thursday. Senior Secretary of disaster management and relief ministry Shah Kamal delivered the information to the newsmen after holding an inter-ministerial meeting at secretariat. He said, damage worth 78 crore 14 lakh 20 thousand taka has been created for houses, worth 251 crore taka has been created for embankments, 2 crore 84 lakh taka for fishes, 5 crore taka for mango orchards and damage worth 38 crore taka has been created for agriculture. Besides, damage worth 161 crore 63 lakh taka has been fixed to show as repair expenditure of 241 kilometers roads of local government division. Agriculture Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr. Enamur Rahman, Chairman of parliamentary standing committee on disaster management and relief ministry Captain AB Tazul Islam (retd), concerned secretaries, representatives of Prime Minister’s Office, different ministries and departments, Director of Meteorological Department Shamsuddin Ahmed were present in the meeting. AH