Six days after a ferocious tornado devastated Oklahoma, killing 24 people including 10 children, US President Barack Obama visited residents in Moore city, consoling them and assuring help at “every step of the way.”
Obama’s tour of the city included visits to the victims and first responders and a firsthand look at the destruction brought by the twister that was rated as the most powerful on the five-step scale used to measure a tornado’s might.
The White House said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has already provided USD 57 million in rebates and incentives to help build about 12,000 storm shelters in Oklahoma.
Once on the ground in Oklahoma, Obama urged the American people to make contributions, saying the damage was “pretty hard to comprehend.” Obama noted the tornado destroyed some 1,200 homes and damaged thousands more.
The President also thanked Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and Moore’s Mayor Glenn lewis for their quick response, and praised other local officials instrumental in helping save lives and jumpstart the town’s recovery efforts.