SOUTH CAROLINA, March 27, 2023 – Disaster trained volunteers from the South Carolina Region of the American Red Cross are deploying to support disaster relief efforts in Mississippi and Alabama after the horrific tornadoes that touched down late Friday. In Mississippi, we are working with our partners to make sure everyone has a safe place to stay, meals, emotional support and comfort in the face of this deadly tornado. We have mobilized relief supplies and disaster workers and are coordinating with local and state officials to help ensure people get the help they need. The Red Cross is also on the ground in Alabama, working with partners there to make sure people get the help they need.
Seven volunteers from South Carolina are deploying to the two states to help provide shelter and comfort to those impacted by these dangerous storms. Almost 140 trained Red Cross disaster workers are on the ground now in Mississippi and more help is on the way. We are deploying almost 140 additional disaster workers and several trailers carrying relief supplies, including tarps, clean-up kits, first aid kits and more are also enroute to the area. Trained Red Cross disaster teams have already been providing shelter, food, water and relief supplies since Friday. Officials reported the tornado in Mississippi was an EF-4 which carries winds up to 200 mph. The tornado lasted over an hour as it traveled more than 100 miles. Preliminary estimates indicate as many as 2,000 structures in the state received major damage or were destroyed.
The American Red Cross of South Carolina stands ready to send additional disaster workers as requested.
YOU CAN HELP You can make a difference in the lives of people affected by tornadoes and storms in the South. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word TORNADO to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from these disasters. This includes providing food, shelter, relief supplies, emotional support, recovery planning and other assistance. Ensure your donation helps people affected by Southern Tornadoes & Storms by choosing that option on redcross.org/donate or
through 1-800-RED CROSS.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation’s blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org/SC or @RedCrossSC.