Bernie Sanders: ‘Climate change’ to blame for Alabama tornado deaths

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful, is blaming climate change after two tornadoes devastated east Alabama Sunday.

In a Facebook post on his official Senate account, Sanders shared an article from “Ecowatch.com” entitled, “23 Dead as Tornado Pummels Lee County, AL in Further Sign ‘Tornado Alley’ Is Moving East.”

In his caption, Sanders said, “The science is clear, climate change is making extreme weather events, including tornadoes, worse. We must prepare for the impacts of climate change that we know are coming.”

He added, “The full resources of the federal government must be provided to these families. Our thoughts are with the people of Alabama and their families.”

The article Sanders shared initially claimed that the tornadoes were the first ever in Lee County.

“There have in fact been 40 tornadoes in Lee County since 1950, according to NOAA’s Storm Events Database, not including Sunday’s storms,” the website admitted in a correction.

Sanders was in Selma on Sunday campaigning.

RELATED: East Alabama tornado survivor: ‘I thank the Lord’ for saving me

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn