Asia-Pacific

Obama to visit tornado-devastated Missouri

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-05-24 22:54

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that he will travel to Missouri, the hardest-hit state by the latest round of severe storms, to view damages and meet with local people.

Obama, who is now paying a visit to Britain, made a statement from the US ambassador's residence in London.

"On Sunday, I myself will travel to Missouri to talk with folks who've been affected, to talk to local officials about our response effort," the White House quoted the president as saying in a press release.

The death toll from the deadly tornados, which swept across the Midwest, has risen to 116 in Missouri and is expected to go up further.

"The devastation is comparable and may end up exceeding some of the devastation that we saw in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, just a few weeks ago," Obama said.

Last month, the devastating tornados that swept through the southern United States killed more than 300 people, making it the second-deadliest tornado outbreak in American history.