Pope Francis sent a message via Twitter expressing his sympathy to the victims of the tornado that struck Oklahoma yesterday.
The death toll has reached 51, including 20 children, when the nearly two mile wide tornado touched down in Oklahoma City. Local authorities stated that the death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue in the area.
In his tweet, the Holy Father stated: “I am close to the families of all who died in the Oklahoma tornado, especially those who lost young children. Join me in praying for them.”
The town of Moore suffered the most damage from the tornado as entire neighborhoods were levelled to the ground, as well as destroying a local hospital. US President Barak Obama declared Oklahoma a major tornado disaster which allowed for federal funds to be available to assist in the recovery.