Obama: “I’ve never seen devastation like this”

President Obama visits tornado-ravaged Alabama — after a series of violent storms kills at least 310 people in the South.

The following statement has been released by The White House:

I want to begin by saying a few words about the devastating storms that have ripped through the southeastern United States. The loss of life has been heartbreaking, especially in Alabama. In a matter of hours, these deadly tornadoes, some of the worst that we’ve seen in decades, took mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors, even entire communities. Others are injured and some are still missing, and in many places the damage to homes and businesses is nothing short of catastrophic.

We can’t control when or where a terrible storm may strike, but we can control how we respond to it. And I want every American who has been affected by this disaster to know that the federal government will do everything we can to help you recover. And we will stand with you as you rebuild.

I’ve already spoken to the governors of Alabama, Virginia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia, and I’ve let them know that we are ready to help in any possible way.

I’ve declared a state of emergency in Alabama so that we can make all necessary resources available to that state. I’ve dispatched Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate to Alabama so that he can personally work with state and local officials, and I will travel myself to Alabama tomorrow to meet with those leading the response efforts as well as the families who are reeling from this disaster.

I also want to commend all the men and women who have been working around the clock for the last few days to save the lives of their friends and neighbors and to begin the long work of rebuilding these communities. These police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and other emergency responders are heroes, and they have the thanks of a grateful nation. We pray for their success and we stand with every American affected by this disaster in the days and weeks to come.

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