MOORE, Okla. (AP) — President Barack Obama is assuring victims of the devastating Oklahoma tornado that “you’ve got folks behind you” all over the country.
Obama joined federal and state officials at the site of the tornado damage Sunday to give an update on recovery efforts and to say he was touched by what he saw.
The president said, quote, “A picture’s worth a thousand words.” He said that some 1,200 homes have been completely damaged in the suburb of Moore, Okla., and that 12,000 have been affected.
He urged the American public to help the people of the ravaged community. He said that “our hearts go out to people” and said he wanted people in Oklahoma to know that “we’re going to be with you all the way.”
President Barack Obama flew to tornado-stricken Oklahoma Sunday to offer both moral and monetary support to a community facing an enormous reconstruction challenge while still reeling from the loss of lives, property and neighborhoods.
The White House said Obama wanted a firsthand look at recovery from the monstrous EF5 tornado that barreled through last Monday afternoon. The president was visiting with affected families and thanking first responders in the devastated town of Moore, about 10 miles from Oklahoma City.
Obama’s motorcade passed past grassy fields strewn with scattered debris. He saw devastation so awesome that it appeared as if garbage had literally rained from the sky. The president’s first stop was the demolished site of the Plaza Towers Elementary School, where seven students were killed when the tornado turned the one-story building into a heap of bricks, broken concrete and twisted metal.
Obama flew from Washington into Tinker Air Force Base and shook hands with personnel whose homes off base were lost or damaged. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, the first to greet the president as he got off the plane, said Sunday that her message to Obama is that she appreciates the visit, but the state also needs quick action from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help the ravaged town of 41,000 people.
The Republican governor said so far, the agency has done a great job of speeding relief and cash assistance to affected families, but she’s concerned about the long run.
“There’s going to come a time when there’s going to be a tremendous amount of need once we begin the debris clearing, which we already have, but really get it cleared off to where we need to start rebuilding these homes, rebuilding these businesses,” she said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” `’And we know at different times in the past, money hasn’t come always as quickly as it should.”
Obama offered prayers for residents from the White House in recent days and has promised to support the rebuilding for as long as it takes. “They have suffered mightily this week,” Obama said Wednesday. “And while the road ahead will be long, their country will be with them every single step of the way.”
White House spokesman Josh Earnest, speaking to reporters accompanying the presidential party on Air Force One, said Obama wanted to make the trip to offer condolences and reiterate his and the nation’s commitment to rebuild.
“This is the greatest nation on Earth, and we’re going to dedicate this nation’s time, attention, resources and expertise to help our people in their time of urgent crisis,” the spokesman said.
Â
