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        Obama to Tornado Victims: 'You Will Not Travel That Path Alone'

   by Kent Klein

   President Barack Obama is directing his emergency management team to
   give tornado victims in the central state of Oklahoma everything they
   need. The president spoke to reporters Tuesday about the response to
   the deadly twisters.
   Obama promised an urgent government response to people in the city of
   Moore, Oklahoma, where dozens were killed Monday, and parts of the town
   simply disappeared.
   The president called it "one of the most destructive tornadoes in
   history." He said the full extent of the damage is not known, but he
   acknowledged that a big job lies ahead.
   ''
   "There are homes and schools to rebuild, businesses and hospitals to
   reopen, there are parents to console, first responders to comfort, and,
   of course, frightened children who will need our continued love and
   attention," he said.
   'Obama spoke after meeting with his disaster response team, including
   Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and other top White House
   officials. He said the director of the Federal Emergency Management
   Agency is on his way to Oklahoma to assess the damage and manage the
   government's response.
   ''The president said he had spoken with the governor of Oklahoma and
   the mayor of Moore, and assured them that the federal government would
   give them the resources they need to recover.
   Obama had declared a major emergency in Oklahoma on Monday.
   In his brief White House remarks, the president told people in Oklahoma
   that the entire nation is supporting them as they recover and rebuild.
   ''
   "But you will not travel that path alone," he said. "Your country will
   travel it with you, fueled by our faith in the Almighty and our faith
   in one another. So our prayers are with the people of Oklahoma today,
   and we will back up those prayers with deeds for as long as it takes."
   Obama suggested that those who want to help the victims should donate
   to the American Red Cross.
   A series of tornadoes blasted through Oklahoma Sunday and Monday. The
   weather service estimated that the one which devastated Moore, an
   Oklahoma City suburb, was at least 800 meters wide.
   Two elementary schools were leveled, and emergency personnel say some
   neighborhoods are no longer recognizable.
   This was the fourth tornado to hit Moore since 1998.
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   -travel-that-path-alone/1665423.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-to-tornado-victims-you-will-not-travel-that-path-alone/1665423.html