President Barack Obama is promising help for those hurt by deadly tornadoes in Arkansas, after inspecting damage on a brief stopover.
At least 36 people were killed when tornadoes tore through six central and southern states, including Arkansas, Alabama, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee last month.
"So the people of Vilonia and all the other towns devastated by the storm understand: there's a lot of work that remains to be done," Obama said, standing amid the ruins of the Arkansas town, with local officials at his side on Wednesday.
"I'm here to remind them that they're not doing this work alone. You're country's going to be here for you," he said.
"We're going to support you every step of the way. You are in our thoughts and prayers. "
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Obama has decreed a state of emergency for the affected states, in order to unblock federal aid.
With an average of 1200 tornadoes a year, the United States is the world's most tornado-prone country. The twisters are particularly frequent in the great plains states - Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas - as well as in the southeastern state of Florida.
