March 25, 2023: Deadly tornado and severe storms sweep South

We've wrapped up our live coverage for the day. You can read more about the severe weather that swept through the South here.

Powerful storms and at least one tornado pummeled the Southeast on Friday night, ripping roofs off homes, nearly leveling some neighborhoods and knocking out power for thousands, officials said. At least 26 people were killed and dozens were injured.

More than 20 million people are at risk of experiencing severe storms Sunday across much of the southern United States and portions of the Midwest.

A Level 3 out of 5 risk for severe storms has been issued across portions of eastern Louisiana, south-central Mississippi and south-central Alabama. This threat level includes Jackson, Hattiesburg and Meridian in Mississippi, as well as Montgomery and Prattville in Alabama.

“Large hail to very large hail should be the main threat with any supercells,” the Storm Prediction Center said. “Damaging winds and a few tornadoes also appear possible.”

Here's how forecasters expect the day to play out: Multiple rounds of storms are possible Sunday throughout the day.

The first round of severe storms is likely to hit portions of Alabama and Georgia Sunday morning, bringing with it the threat of large hail. These storms will then push east into the Carolinas by Sunday afternoon, posing a threat for damaging winds.

Additional storms are expected to form across portions of eastern Texas on Sunday afternoon and are forecast to push into Louisiana, Mississippi and eventually Alabama through the afternoon and evening. These storms will be capable of producing large to very large hail, a few tornadoes, and damaging winds.

A Level 1 out of 5 threat includes Rolling Fork and Silver City, Mississippi which were greatly damaged by a tornado Friday night.

Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi said the aftermath of a tornado plowing through his district is “devastation beyond imagination.”

Thompson toured the damage in the small western city of Rolling Fork Friday night and said, “As the night wore on, it was clear that this was something that people have never seen before.” 

He told CNN’s Jim Acosta that, after speaking with President Biden today and FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell, it is clear that, “All hands are on deck.”

Following Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves’ request for a major disaster declaration Saturday, Thompson said Biden told him “the moment he gets it, he will review it and push it right back out the door.”

Thompson represents Mississippi’s second congressional district, where much of the tornado damage is located.

“There is no question that this community cannot come back without significant federal participation,” he said.

Power outages in the areas of Mississippi and Alabama most severely affected by severe weather overnight have dropped as cleanup gets underway. 

The tracking website PowerOutage.us showed that as of 6 p.m. ET, 6,565 customers remained without power in Mississippi communities devastated by the storms, while there were 13,532 across Alabama.

As of Saturday afternoon, 12,973 customers still lacked power in Tennessee, which was also hit by the severe weather.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves is asking President Joe Biden's administration for an expedited major disaster declaration as cleanup begins from Friday night’s storms.

Such a declaration allows the federal government to pump additional resources into a disaster area when state resources determine they are overwhelmed.

The state is asking for assistance for Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe and Sharkey Counties.

“We’re gonna fight like hell to make sure that we get as many resources to this area as possible,” Gov. Reeves said during a press briefing Saturday in the hard-hit community of Rolling Fork.

The state says at least 25 people died in Mississippi due to the storms.

Storm chaser Zachary Hill drove into Rolling Fork, Mississippi, Friday night, "about two minutes before the tornado hit" and said he didn't hear any tornado sirens.

"We were actually here last night and observed the tornado come into town and we were the first on scene. So, we observed the emergence from the rubble,” he told CNN's Fredricka Whitfield. 

Hill said his group "drove into Rolling Fork with the expectation of this storm traveling northeast and going just north of town — that did not happen."

He called it the "closest call I've ever had with a violent tornado." 

"It's just apocalyptic," Hill said of the storm's aftermath.

The city of Amory, Mississippi, is under an emergency boil water notice Saturday due to severe weather damage.

“The Amory Water Department suffered a direct hit from the tornado yesterday,” the city's police department said in a Facebook post.

The department is also enforcing an overnight curfew starting at 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. ET) Saturday night.

“Please remain off of the streets unless you are a first responder,” the police department said.

Amory is located in northeast Mississippi, about 25 miles from Tupelo.

The National Weather Service has survey teams in four Mississippi counties Saturday to assess damage.

More fatalities from severe storms overnight in Mississippi were confirmed Saturday afternoon by the state Emergency Management Agency, bringing the death toll in the state to 25.

“The fatalities are reported in Sharkey, Humphreys, Carroll, and Monroe counties,” the agency said in a news release. “Four people reported missing overnight have now been accounted for.”

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said dozens of people were injured in the storms.

In Alabama, a man died after getting trapped in his mobile home during the storm, making the total death toll confirmed by authorities after the storms 26.