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," said Obama standing
amid the ruins of the Arkansas town, with local officials at his side.
"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. "
Obama has decreed a state of emergency for the affected states, in order to
unblock federal aid.
With an average of 1,200 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.
Obama's stop in Arkansas came the day after his administration published a
massive report on climate change. According to the report, the effects of
warming are already being felt, in particular by sparking weather events that
are more violent than in the past.