Debris and a damaged house are seen following a tornado in Beauregard, Ala., March 3, 2019. At least 23 people were confirmed dead in Lee County, Ala. (CNS photo/Scott Fillmer via Reuters)

MOBILE, Ala. (CNS) — With search and rescue efforts underway for the tornado that whipped through Alabama and other parts of the South March 3, Mobile Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi asked for prayers for “those who lost their lives and their loved ones as well as those who have lost homes and businesses.”

“The catastrophic tornadoes which occurred yesterday in the Archdiocese of Mobile have brought loss of life and devastating damage,” said the archbishop in a March 4 statement.

He added that as recovery efforts begin, Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Mobile has reached out to the pastors of the affected areas to offer assistance for those in need and Catholic Social Services “stands ready” to be a part of the recovery.

The violent storms caused at least 23 deaths and scattered debris across parts of Alabama, Georgia, Florida and parts of South Carolina, knocking out power for more than 10,000 homes.

In Lee County, Alabama, where the tornado hit ground in the town of Beauregard, the sheriff’s office told reporters March 4 that 50 people were injured and that the number of missing was in the double digits. Sheriff Jay Jones said he expected the number of fatalities to rise.

“It’s extremely upsetting to me to see these people hurting like this and the families who have lost loved ones,” Jones said in a Weather Channel report. “This is a very tight-knit community. These people are tough. They’re resilient people, and it’s knocked them down. But they’ll be back.”

He also described the devastation as shocking, adding: “It looks almost as if someone took a giant knife and just scraped the ground. There are slabs where homes formerly stood, debris everywhere, trees snapped, whole forested areas where trees are snapped and lying on the ground.”

The threat of severe weather continued late into the night March 3 when a tornado watch was in effect for much of eastern Georgia and a large portion of South Carolina.

Currents News Staff

Ethan Lindenberger’s teen rebellion made headlines last year. On Tuesday he shared his story with Senators.

“My name is Ethan Lindenberger, and I’m a senior Norwalk High School, and my mother is an anti-vax advocate. I went my entire life without numerous vaccinations against diseases such as measles, chicken pox, and polio. However in December of 2018, I began catching up on my missed immunizations, despite my mother’s disapproval,” he said.

The hearing comes amid an increase in measles cases in the U.S., including recent outbreaks in Washington state and New York, and around the world.

Also, on the rise, according to a CDC report last year, the percentage of young children receiving no vaccines.

Senators dug into the spread of common fears and misinformation – especially via social media.

A study published Monday also rejects that idea, looking at around 650,000 children in Denmark over more than a decade, and finding the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, did not increase the risk of autism.

Despite his new platform Ethan Lindenberger hasn’t swayed opinions at home.

“I have tried to convey to my parents, that I don’t think they are stupid for believing it but that people are very convincing and that’s very dangerous,” he said.

He’s caught up on his vaccinations, but has expressed concern, about his younger siblings who have not.