President Obama accepts senator's invitation to visit tornado victims in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., May 3 (UPI) -- President Obama has accepted Arkansas Senator Mark Pryor's invitation to visit parts of the state destroyed by last weeks violent storms and tornados.

In a statement released by his office, Pryor said, "Since the tornadoes tore through our state this week, we've seen folks come together to help those affected get back on their feet. We have disaster relief funding headed our way, but there's more we can do to give Arkansans the help they need. I'm pleased the president is headed to Arkansas and can see the devastation first hand."

The President will arrive in Arkansas on Wednesday. Last weeks storms killed 15 people in the state, injured more than another 150 and destroyed over 260 homes. An additional 20 people were killed by the far-reaching weather pattern in Oklahoma, Iowa, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi.

According to Pryor, some of the communities hit the hardest had only just finished long-term rebuilding efforts to recover from devastating storms three years ago.