Joplin tornado a ‘national tragedy’ – Barack Obama

Joplin may not be a prominent city in the United States, but President Barack Obama made it clear Sunday that the government considers the tornado disaster as a 'national tragedy' that will be met with full support.

President Obama watched the devastation left by the Joplin tornado as he flew over the city where he later condoled with victims and survivors of the catastrophe. He pledged assistance from the federal government for rebuilding efforts in Joplin.

The city was hit on late afternoon of May 22, 2011 with a category EF5 tornado which left 142 dead and dozens unaccounted for. The Joplin tornado was the deadliest in the country since 1947.

"This is not just your tragedy. It is a national tragedy and there will be a national response," Obama said during a memorial service in this grief-stricken city. "Your country will be there with you every step of the way. We're not going anywhere."

Obama was accompanied by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on a walking tour of a neighborhood section filled with destroyed homes, uprooted trees and scattered debris. During the memorial service, Obama recounted tales of heroism among Joplin residents amid the carnage brought by the tornado.

Tornadoes in Joplin as well as flooding in areas along the Mississippi have kept local and federal disaster officials busy in recent weeks. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has just been given an extra $1 billion by the House of Representatives to add to its remaining $2.4 billion disaster assistance fund.