After a tornado ripped through the southern US, at least 26 people died in Mississippi and Alabama.

Search and rescue efforts are continuing, and the Mississippi state government has declared a state of emergency.

Rolling Fork is littered with bricks, glass, and crushed cars. The town has almost been completely destroyed.

BBC interviewed one resident who said he was fortunate to have survived after finding shelter in his bathtub.

Approaching the neighborhood in western Sharkey County, there is little indication of anything unusual.

It is surrounded by lush farmland, which is totally unaltered. The trees have not been bent by the wind.

Then, suddenly, you see the houses that were in the tornado's path.

They were completely destroyed.

In this rural town of only 2,000 people, where one-fifth of residents live below the poverty line, dozens of buildings have been flattened by the fury of the tornado.

Homes that had been home to family and friends for less than 24 hours were reduced to rubble ready for the weekend.

Timber frames have been snapped into pieces. There are upturned washing machines, but it is impossible to identify anything that might have been a kitchen.

Amongst the rubble, there are vehicles that have been tossed around. There is the occasional children's toy and other signs of the lives that were lived here just hours earlier.

The tornado hit in the middle of the night - people had been sleeping and had not heard the alerts. For many, the first indication that something terrible was happening was the noise.

Francisco McKnight told the BBC it was a miracle that he is alive. The only warning he had was the sound, he said - he had never heard anything like the noise of the wind on Friday night and never wants to again.

He took one look outside and then ran into his bathroom and got into the bathtub. He said that was what saved him.

The only part of his home that is still standing is parts two of the bathroom walls.

The tornado lasted just five to 10 minutes he said, and he sat in the tub as the rest of his home was ripped away. For now, he is staying in one of the shelters that have been set up in the area.

He does not know what he will do next, but he says somehow he will rebuild his life.

Mississippi state governor Tate Reeves visited Silver City and Winona on Saturday to meet affected residents who had been hit by the tornado's fury.

Sharing an update on Twitter, Mr. Reeves described the situation as a "tragedy", writing: "We are blessed with brave, capable responders and loving neighbors. Please continue to pray."

Mr. Reeves requested an expedited disaster declaration for the region and said: "We're going to fight like h3ll to make sure that we get as many resources to this area as possible."

The search and rescue efforts will continue in Mississippi as more storms are predicted to hit parts of Alabama and Georgia early on Sunday and potentially bring large hail.

US President Joe Biden also offered his support for the affected region. He described the images coming out of Mississippi as "heartbreaking".

On Sunday, the White House stated that President Biden ordered federal aid to support local recovery efforts in areas affected by the tornadoes, including grants for temporary housing, home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses.

God bless president Biden for his good effort

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