Trump surveys Alabama tornado damage, meets survivors

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President Trump arrives in Alabama to assess damage from deadly tornado

Forecasters say severe storms could strike tornado-ravaged areas this weekend; Jonathan Serrie reports from Lee County, Alabama.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump on Friday surveyed the damage and met with survivors from the powerful tornado that killed 23 people in Alabama.

The president visited Beauregard, the community that was hit hardest by Sunday’s storm.

ALABAMA TORNADO DAMAGE LOOKS LIKE 'SOMEONE TOOK A GIANT KNIFE AND JUST SCRAPED THE GROUND,' SHERIFF SAYS

Trump met privately with survivors and family members affected by the tornado, including a woman who lost 10 relatives.

The president and first lady visited a row of 23 crosses—representing each life taken by the tornado—and observed a moment of silence in front of each marker.

“Everyone’s doing an incredible job. These are incredible people. We met some survivors and family members—one woman lost 10 people in her family. I’ve never seen anything like that,” Trump said. “I wanted to come the day it happened but they said wait. So thank you.”

He added: “We love you all, we love the state of Alabama—Georgia got hit a bit too.”

AT LEAST 23 DEAD, MANY INJURED IN APPARENT LARGE TORNADO IN ALABAMA, OFFICIALS SAY

“You saw things you wouldn’t believe,” Trump told reporters Friday, after viewing damaged areas. “The governor has done an incredible job.”

Trump also received a briefing from local officials and thanked law enforcement and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, whose department oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency assisting with both state and local recovery and response efforts.

Trump said Friday that he has instructed FEMA to give Alabama “the A Plus treatment” as its communities recover.

“They’ve done an incredible job and I want to thank FEMA,” Trump said.

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The storm, which brought 170 mph winds, was rated an EF-4 tornado and left a path of destruction reaching almost a mile wide. The tornado impacted rural areas that housed many mobile homes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.