Kentucky tornadoes: Governor says it will be ‘a miracle’ if anyone else pulled from crumbled factory

At least 90 people are likely dead across five states after tornadoes tore through the US, affecting residents in at least six states. More than a hundred people are feared to have lost their lives in Kentucky alone.

Officials have said that there are “confirmed fatalities” after workers became trapped when a roof collapsed at an Amazon warehouse in Illinois.

Hundreds are feared to be dead across the midwest and the southern US following a string of strong nocturnal tornadoes overnight between Friday and Saturday.

The governor of Kentucky, Democrat Andy Beshear, said “more than 80” people had been killed in the path of a tornado stretching at least 200 miles.

“It has been one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history,” the governor said on Saturday. “Some areas have been hit in ways that are hard to put into words.”

The estimated number of deaths suggests that the storm that hit the state on Friday night could be the deadliest storm since 1890 when 76 people were killed in the area around Louisville.

Weather experts say the tornado may have touched down for as far as 250 miles, possibly making it the longest twister on record.

Read More

Tornadoes in US have likely killed 50 people, says Kentucky governor

Amazon warehouse collapses with workers inside as deadly tornadoes rip through five US states

2 dead, 5 injured after tornado hits Arkansas nursing home

Key Points

• Biden promises support from federal government in call with Kentucky governor

• Arkansas governor says it’s ‘remarkable’ not more people are dead in his state

• Dozens reported dead across five states

• Tornado could have covered 250 miles across four states

NWS investigating if ‘Quad-State’ tornado is longest ever

01:40 , Josh Marcus

The tornadoes that tore across four states this weekend may have produced the single longest twister in US history.

The cluster, now being called the “Quad-State Tornado,” spawned more than 30 different tornadoes that traveled across six different states, including one tornado that may have traveled more than 230 miles alone.

The National Weather Service is now conducting ground surveys to analyse the historic storms and their record-breaking potential.

How to help Kentuckians hurt by recent tornadoes

01:15 , Josh Marcus

Wondering how to help those impacted by the recent tornadoes?

Kentucky governor Andy Beshear has established the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund, which has raised nearly $1 million since Saturday.

More information at https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/Finance/WKYRelief

Twitter user seeks public help in returning 1942 photograph lost in tornadoes

00:50 , Josh Marcus

Twitter user Katie Posten is seeking help from the public, after finding what she believes is a photo from 1942 lost in the recent tornadoes.

She came upon the photograph stuck to a window in New Albany, Indiana. The picture features writing on the back that appears to say “Gertie Swatzell” and “JD Swatzell” on the back.

More information below.

Kentucky tornado: Drone footage captures devastation left by ‘longest-ever’ twister

00:35 , Josh Marcus

Dramatic drone footage has captured the extent of the chaos and devastation left behind by the powerful storm in Kentucky and five neighbouring states of Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The video, which played out on national television and was recorded by Emmy award-winning independent photojournalist and storm chaser Brandon Clement, showed thousands of homes that were decimated over many acres across the state.

“The most intense damage I have found in [Mayfield],” he tweeted, sharing a video in which everything, from trees to shrubs, to homes, was uprooted by the storm. “The entire path in the town is less than 2 [per cent] of the total path length. Homes with only slabs remaining.”

The Independent’s Namita Singh has the details.

Drone footage captures devastation left by ‘longest-ever’ tornado

‘No way in hell I am relying on Amazon’: Company phone ban worries employees after six die in warehouse cave-in

00:11 , Josh Marcus

At least six Amazon employees died on Friday after a warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, was struck by a tornado. The deaths have put the company under new scrutiny for its history of sometimes preventing workers from keeping their mobile phones with them on the job.

The Illinois facility, not far from St Louis, Missouri, suffered immense damage during this weekend’s multi-state cluster of tornadoes. Roughly 150 yards of the building collapsed in on itself.

An Amazon worker at a nearby facility told Bloomberg the collapse had raised doubts over whether Amazon’s policies, which have sometimes required workers to keep their phones in their cars or lockers while on the job, did enough to ensure their safety.

More details here.

Amazon workers worry phone ban may put them at risk after six during tornado

PHOTOS: Aerial images show scope of damage at Kentucky factory

23:40 , Gustaf Kilander

Six killed at Amazon facility in Illinois identified

23:15 , Gustaf Kilander

The six Amazon employees who died when a tornado tore through a warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois have been identified.

Austin McEwen, 26, Deandre Morrow, 28, Clayton Lynn Cope, 29, Etheria Hebb, 34, Larry Virden, 46, and Kevin Dickey, 62, all died when the warehouse caved in.

Officials have said that the fire department is still working at the site to clear debris and is communicating with Amazon to “account for all of their personnel”.

Search efforts will carry on “to ensure that there are no additional victims”.

Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford said on Saturday that “estimates are that the recovery portion of the incident will take about three more days”.

PHOTOS: Residents survey damage and begin to gather belongings

22:50 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky district judge one of the victims in storms estimated to have killed hundreds

22:25 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky district judge Brian Crick was one of the many who died when a string of tornadoes tore through the midwest.

“We are especially heartbroken to get the news that District Judge Brian Crick, who served McLean and Muhlenberg counties, lost his life during the storm,” Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton Jr said in a statement on the court’s Facebook page.

“This is a shocking loss to his family, his community and the court system, and his family is in our prayers,” he added.

“I have asked our justices, judges, circuit court clerks and AOC managers to try to determine the safety of any court staff in Western Kentucky, and what we can do to help any who need shelter, food or clothing,” the justice said.

Video shows devastation in Tennessee as busloads of supplies head for Kentucky

22:00 , Gustaf Kilander

‘It’s going to take us time’: Weather grows colder as rescue efforts continue

21:35 , Gustaf Kilander

The weather is growing colder, at times reaching freezing temperatures, as rescue efforts continue in areas hit by devastating storms.

“It’s going to take us time,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear told CNN. “You think you’d go door to door to check on people and see if they’re okay. There are no doors. The question is, is somebody in the rubble of thousands upon thousands of structures.”

PHOTOS: Kentuckians go through remnants of their homes as death toll expected to rise

21:10 , Gustaf Kilander

Arkansas governor praises nursing home staff for saving lives

20:43 , Gustaf Kilander

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutching praised the staff at a nursing home in Monette for acting quickly and saving lives when the building was torn apart by a tornado on Friday night.

He said that it was “a miracle that we only lost one” resident at the nursing home.

“The staff did an incredible job of using their own bodies to shield some of the residents and the fact that there was a warning system in place helped them to move them into the hallway that saved lives,” he said.

‘This tornado didn’t discriminate’: Kentucky governor confirms children are among the dead

20:23 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has said that a three- and a five-year-old are among the dead, telling CBS that “we’ve lost a number of kids”.

“This tornado didn’t discriminate. Anybody in its path, even if they were trying to be safe, again, just like nothing we’ve ever seen before,” he added.

State parks have been opened to residents. Eleven shelters initially opened their doors, but only six are still operating as Kentuckians instead house both family and friends, but in some cases also strangers who have lost their homes.

The governor said a fund has been created to help with funeral expenses and rebuilding efforts. Mr Beshear also said he’s one of those who have lost family in the storms.

“We’re tough people. We’re going to get through it, but it is not going to be easy,” he said.

PHOTOS: Kentuckians begin to pick up the pieces of destroyed homes

20:03 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky governor: Our morgues might not be big enough

19:43 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said on Sunday that the state might not have enough space in its morgue facilities following a devastating stream of tornadoes that’s taken 80 lives so far in the state – a number that’s expected to pass 100.

“One of our challenges is we’re losing so many people in this, most of our morgues aren’t big enough, so our coroners from all over the state are coming in,” Mr Beshear told Meet The Press on NBC.

The governor told Face The Nation on CBS that Kentucky will need to rebuild “entire communities”.

“We’re going to have lost thousands of homes because when this tornado hit, it didn’t rip a roof off, it obliterated houses,” he said.

Downtown Mayfield ‘completely leveled'

19:23 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky governor says death toll is going to pass 100

19:03 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has said that the death toll in his state will go above 100.

“I’ve got towns that are gone,” he told CNN. “Just gone. My dad’s hometown, half of it isn’t standing.”

Mr Beshear’s father is Steve Beshear, who served as the governor of Kentucky from 2007 until 2015.

The governor added that 40 out of the 110 workers at a candle factory in Mayfield have made it out alive.

“I’m not sure that we’re gonna see another rescue. I pray for it,” he said.

‘A lot we need to do as a nation,’ FEMA administrator says

18:43 , Gustaf Kilander

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell has said that there’s “a lot we need to do as a nation” in terms of mitigating the devastating impact of future tornado events.

“We’re seeing more intense storms, severe weather, whether it’s hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires. And one of the focuses my agency is going to have is, how can we start to reduce the impacts of these events as they continue to grow?”

She said the work involves helping communities become more “resilient” to severe weather events.

Rescue workers continue work as death reaches 90 across six states

18:23 , Gustaf Kilander

The death toll reached 90 on Sunday as rescue workers continued their work looking for survivors in the rubble of crushed buildings across the six states hit by a devastating tornado system between Friday and Saturday.

Officials said the death toll was certain to increase, having already reached 80 in the state hit the worst by the storms – Kentucky.

“It’s devastation like none of us have ever seen before,” Governor Andy Beshear told CNN on Sunday. He added that it would be “a miracle” to find anyone alive in the candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky that collapsed on Friday night. While some made it out alive, many out of the 110 people believed to be inside are still missing.

Parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee were all affected by the tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.

FEMA has about 100 staff on the ground in Kentucky, administrator says

18:03 , Gustaf Kilander

Drone video shows devastation to homes at lake in Kentucky

17:43 , Gustaf Kilander

Head of FEMA says ‘life-saving’ will be main focus for Sunday and Monday

17:23 , Gustaf Kilander

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell has said that the main focus for both Sunday and Monday would be life-saving missions to find people trapped in the rubble across the six states hit by tornadoes overnight between Friday and Saturday.

“It’s going to be a long recovery,” she told This Week on ABC.

FEMA administrator says officials are ‘still in the life-saving and life-sustaining mode'

17:03 , Gustaf Kilander

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told This Week on ABC that officials are “still in the life-saving and life-sustaining mode”.

“We’re sending additional resources in to help locate anybody who still may be trapped,” she added.

‘At least 56,000 homes without power,’ Kentucky governor says

16:43 , Gustaf Kilander

The governor of Kentucky, Democrat Andy Beshear, told NBC’s Meet The Press that there are “at least 56,000 homes without power” and that almost all of them are located in the western parts of the state.

“We look out for one another,” he added.

“Those of us blessed to not be hit by this tornado take other people in whether we know them or not,” Mr Beshear said.

Meteorologist says strength of tornadoes is ‘unprecedented'

16:23 , Gustaf Kilander

ABC News meteorologist Rob Marciano has said that the strength of the tornadoes hitting six states overnight between Friday and Saturday was “unprecedented”.

He added that “having this happen in the month of December this far north” is also unusual.

‘It was like heaven sucked up’ roof of nursing home, Arkansas governor says

16:03 , Gustaf Kilander

The Governor of Arkansas, Republican Asa Hutchinson, told CNN’s State of the Union, that “it was like heaven sucked up” the roof of a nursing home in Monette in the northeastern parts of the state.

“It’s just a miracle with 67 residents that we only lost one there,” he added.

FEMA Administrator: ‘There is still hope'

15:43 , Gustaf Kilander

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told CNN’s State of the Union that “there is still hope and we should continue to try to find as many people as we can”.

She added that the agency’s most important work at this time involves life-saving missions and short-term sheltering of those unable to live with friends and family.

Gov Beshear: ‘I know we’ve lost more than 80 Kentuckians'

15:23 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday that at least 80 people have died in the state and that the number of fatalities is expected to go above 100.

“I know we’ve lost more than 80 Kentuckians. That number is going to exceed more than 100. This is the deadliest tornado event we’ve ever had,” he said.

“I think it’s going to be the longest and deadliest tornado event in US history,” he added.

Drone video shows path of tornado as it tore apart homes

15:03 , Gustaf Kilander

Illinois officials say search and rescue efforts are transitioning to recovery

14:43 , Gustaf Kilander

Officials in Edwardsville, Illinois said during a press briefing on Saturday that six people had been killed when an Amazon warehouse collapsed and that the search and rescue efforts were transitioning to a recovery mission.

“We don’t expect that anyone could be surviving,” Edwardsville Fire chief James Whiteford said.

He added that the tornado had struck at the time of a shift change and it was unclear how many people were inside the building at the time.

Devastation blanket newspaper front pages

14:23 , Gustaf Kilander

Police encourages residents to stay away from affected areas

14:03 , Gustaf Kilander

As search and rescue efforts began again on Sunday, Kentucky State Police said in a statement that “citizens who are not actively involved in rescue operations or emergency services are encouraged to avoid travel to and around the affected areas”.

“With widespread power outages, traffic control devices are not operational and there is no available lighting at many intersections throughout the area creating a serious hazard,” police added.

Kentucky residents reveal what it was like to live through the storm

13:43 , Gustaf Kilander

In a video published by The Washington Post, Kentucky residents reveal what it was like to live through the storm.

Images show marks left in ground by tornado

13:23 , Gustaf Kilander

Drone footage captures devastation

10:38 , Namita Singh

Dramatic drone footage has captured the extent of the chaos and devastation left behind by the powerful storm in Kentucky and five neighbouring states of Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The video, which played out on national television and was recorded by Emmy award-winning independent photojournalist and storm chaser Brandon Clement, showed thousands of homes that were decimated over many acres across the state.

Read the full story:

Drone footage captures devastation left by ‘longest-ever’ tornado

Video shows ‘twin tornadoes’ in Arkansas

09:45 , Josh Marcus

One tornado is bad enough, but two is downright terrifying.

Video captured two tornadoes, backlit by lightning, in the sky above Bay, Arkansas, outside of Jonesboro, on Friday night.

Angie Burgess of Weather Bug captured the amazing clip.

Mitch McConnell reacts to ‘tragedy’ of tornadoes in his home state

08:45 , Josh Marcus

Kentucky, home to US Senator and minority Mitch McConnell, is one the states that’s been hit hardest by Friday’s cluster of devastating tornadoes. At least 100 are feared dead.

Read the GOP Senator’s reaction to the “tragedy” in Kentucky below.

Bezos faces backlash for Blue Origin posts amid Amazon warehouse deaths

08:07 , Namita Singh

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been criticised on social media for continuing to cheer on his latest venture in space tourism amid the aftermath of a deadly tornado at an Amazon warehouse.

At least six people were killed at the Amazon distribution centre in Edwardsville, Illinois after a tornado led to the collapse of the building on Friday night.

Here’s the full story:

Kentucky tornadoes: At least 84 dead as casualties rise in deadliest storm since 1890

WATCH: Worker shares video driving ‘straight through a tornado’ on commute

07:45 , Josh Marcus

An individual taking an early morning drive to work in Kentucky shared harrowing video of them driving “straight through” a tornado overnight, yet another shocking sign of the destruction a cluster of storms brought to the state.

Twitter user @jawdinTHEjuice said the clip showed a drive between Louisville and Georgetown, Kentucky, at 2:30am, a trip that involved driving through some of the “craziest wind I’ve ever seen.”Watch below:

Tornado ‘likely the longest in history'

07:39 , Adam Withnall

Rescuers continue to comb through fields of wreckage left in the wake of the tornado across the middle of the US, with dozens dead and communities in despair.

The track followed by the tornado could rival the longest on record as the stormfront smashed apart a candle factory, crushed a nursing home and flattened an Amazon distribution centre.

“I pray that there will be another rescue. I pray that there will be another one or two,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said, as crews sifted through the wreckage of the candle factory in Mayfield, where 110 people were working overnight Friday when the storm hit. Forty of them were rescued.

“We had to, at times, crawl over casualties to get to live victims,” said Jeremy Creason, the city’s fire chief and EMS director.

In Kentucky alone, 22 were confirmed dead by late Saturday, including 11 in and around Bowling Green. But Beshear said upwards of 70 may have been killed when a twister touched down for more than 200 miles (320km) in his state and that the number of deaths could eventually exceed 100 across 10 or more counties.

The official death toll — as of 2.30am eastern time — of 36 across five states includes six people in Illinois, where an Amazon facility was hit; four in Tennessee; two in Arkansas, where a nursing home was destroyed; and two in Missouri.

If early reports are confirmed, the twister “will likely go down perhaps as one of the longest track violent tornadoes in United States history,” said Victor Genzini, a researcher on extreme weather at Northern Illinois University.

The longest tornado on record, in March 1925, tracked for about 220 miles (355km) through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. But Genzini said this twister may have touched down for nearly 250 miles (400km). The storm was all the more remarkable because it came in December, when normally colder weather limits tornadoes, he said.

AP

Biden declares federal emergency declaration in Kentucky after ‘one of the largest tornado outbreaks in our history'

06:45 , Josh Marcus

President Biden on Saturday approved an emergency declaration for the state of Kentucky, where a cluster of tornadoes is believed to have killed as many as 100 people.

“It’s a tragedy,” the president said during brief remarks on Saturday. “It’s a tragedy. And we still don’t know how many lives are lost or the full extent of the damage. I want to emphasize what I told all the governors, the federal government will do everything, everything it can possibly do to help.”

One dead and all accounted for at Arkansas nursing home hit by tornado

05:45 , Josh Marcus

A tornado caused the roof collapse at a nursing home in Monette, Arkansas, on Friday, killing one and injuring many more. Two people were initially feared dead, though authorities have since revised their estimate down.

“It looks like it’s pretty much destroyed,” Craighead County judge Marvin Day told the AP. “It happens quick but apparently there was a little bit of time with tornado sirens going off.”

Residents were found in the basement “and were prepared for this,” he added.

Video shows massive tornado traveling across Kentucky sky

04:45 , Josh Marcus

A Twitter user has posted a home video of what he believes is one of the tornadoes authorities think traveled a 200-mile stretch across Kentucky, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

@mitchell_knight said the video came from his father’s porch, a home located between Bremen and Sacramento, Kentucky. The clip shows a wide tornado, advancing across the sky and lit up by lightning.

Meteorologist explains link between climate crisis and Friday’s tornadoes

03:30 , Josh Marcus

Is there a link between the climate crisis and the tornadoes that roared across the country on Friday? Absolutely, according to CBS meteorologist Jeff Berardelli.

He explained on Twitter on Saturday that climate-enhanced warm weather as well as seasonal tornado patterns combined for yesterday’s tornado cluster, which is believed to have killed at least 84 people.

‘It’s like a warzone’: Pictures show destruction in Kentucky town hit by historic tornadoes

02:45 , Josh Marcus

Louisville Courier-Journal photographer Matt Stone has shared photos of the immense destruction in the Kentucky town of Mayfield, one of the hardest hit as tornadoes rained down across the state. One resident described the scene as a “warzone.”

As many as 100 people in the state could be dead, the Kentucky governor warned on Saturday.See the shocking photos below.

Rescue workers getting ‘red faces and headaches’ in collapsed Kentucky candle factory

02:00 , Josh Marcus

Rescue workers are reportedly getting “red faces and headaches” as they sift through the wreckage of the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, where about 110 people were inside as a tornado hit overnight.

Media personnel were reportedly told to stand back and wear face masks on Saturday, according to Noah Bergren of WPSD, as both chemical dye and “this eerie smell of candles” lingered in the air.

Drone footage captures devastated Kentucky town of Mayfield

01:40 , Josh Marcus

Drone footage from LiveStormsMedia captured utter devastation in the Kentucky town of Mayfield on Saturday, an area which suffered greatly as tornadoes descended across the state overnight.

The clip shows block after block of nearly flattened houses in the town of about 10,000.

One of the buildings hit in Mayfield was the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory, where about 110 people were inside when the twister arrived, likely killing dozens of people.

Meteorologist shares video of tornado that tore down Amazon warehouse in Illinois

01:20 , Josh Marcus

Meteorologist James Spann has shared video of the tornado that hit an Amazon facility near Edwardsville, Illinois, causing parts of the facility to cave in, killing six people and injuring numerous more.

Watch below.

Tornado death toll: Likely casualties rise to 84 in historic storm

01:00 , Josh Marcus

At least 84 people are believed to be dead after tornadoes blasted multiple US states overnight, according to a CNN analysis.

Those casualties include at least 70 likely dead in Kentucky, two in Arkansas, four in Tennessee, two in Missouri, and at least six in Illinois, where an Amazon warehouse facility partially caved in.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says he’s ‘heartbroken’ as 6 confirmed dead at warehouse in Illinois

00:40 , Josh Marcus

The new CEO of Amazon responded on Saturday to reports that 6 are dead after a tornado hit an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, as a cluster of storms swept across the middle of the country.

Andy Jassy said he was “heartbroken” over the news in a statement posted to Twitter. Read his full remarks below.

WATCH: Joe Biden gives updates on nationwide tornado cluster

00:20 , Josh Marcus

Joe Biden spoke to the country on Saturday, after a deadly cluster of tornados hit Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee.

In his remarks, he said, “This is one of those times when we’re not Democrats or Republicans. It sounds like hyperbole but it’s real. We’re all Americans. We stand together as the United States of America.”

Watch the full speech below.

Amazon worker trying to warn colleagues one of first identified victims among 70 dead in tornadoes

Saturday 11 December 2021 23:59 , Josh Marcus

An employee at an Amazon warehouse in Illinois is among the first people identified of the at least 70 who may have died in a cluster tornadoes that tore through six US states overnight.

Clayton Cope, 29, a maintenance worker, was among at least two confirmed dead at an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, where the tornadoes nearly leveled parts of the facility belonging to the online retailer.

Carla Cope, Clayton’s mother, told The Daily Beast on Saturday that she had told her son to “get to shelter,” but that he wanted to warn his colleagues of what was coming first.We’ve got more details here.

Amazon worker trying to help others one of first named among 70 dead in tornadoes

Kentucky town looks like ‘matchsticks’, mayor says

Saturday 11 December 2021 23:25 , Gustaf Kilander

The mayor of Mayfield, Kentucky, Kathy O’Nan, told CNN that the town looks like “matchsticks”.

“Our downtown churches have been destroyed, our courthouse — which is of course right in the centre of town — is destroyed. Our water system is not functioning at this time. There is no power. There are few pockets of power within our county, and so some of the people who’ve have been misplaced from their homes have been shuttled to churches who have volunteered their space there. It is truly devastating and heartbreaking to look at our community,” the mayor said.

Curfew announced in Mayfield, Kentucky

Saturday 11 December 2021 22:45 , Gustaf Kilander

A curfew has been announced for 7pm in Mayfield, Kentucky after the town was devastated by a tornado overnight.

Police Chief Nathan Kent said that “if you’re not an emergency responder, you need not to be in any of those areas after dark. If you are, law enforcement officers are going to investigate those circumstances”.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has called Mayfield “ground zero” for the tornado destruction.

Kentucky Senator and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tweeted that “it is devastating to hear that so many Kentuckians have died from last night’s tornado disaster. I have spoken with @POTUS, @GovAndyBeshear, @SecMayorkas, and @FEMA_Deanne and am working with Kentucky’s local, state, and federal leaders to deliver rapid federal assistance”.

Biden tells governors of affected states that federal government will support recovery efforts

Saturday 11 December 2021 22:25 , Gustaf Kilander

President Joe Biden has spoken to five of the governors in the states hit by tornadoes overnight and assured them that the federal government would support the states’ recovery efforts.

“We, the five governors that have been impacted by the tornado, just got off the phone with the President of the United States, and President Biden assured us of support, but also expressed support for what we’re going through during this time and wanted us to pass that along to our citizens,” Arkansas Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson told CNN.

Deaths have been reported in Missouri, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, and Arkansas.

“Right now, if we needed anything, we would ask for it and we would get it, but we’re capable right now with our resources in this state to respond to the need,” Mr Hutchinson added. “We’ll see if anything additional is needed, right now, it’s clearing, it’s debris removal, we want to make sure that the personal needs are met in terms of shelter, and our churches, our non-profits are really stepping up to accomplish that, so we’re good right now.”

Governor says there are ‘8 pages single spaced’ of missing people in western Kentucky

Saturday 11 December 2021 22:05 , Gustaf Kilander

Governor Andy Beshear said that there are “8 pages single spaced” of missing people in the western parts of the state while speaking to Kentucky Sports Radio.

This comes as more and more images reveal the scale of the damage across the six states hit by a number of tornadoes overnight.

Police and fire stations destroyed in Kentucky town where factory collapsed on workers

Saturday 11 December 2021 21:45 , Gustaf Kilander

The police and fire stations have been destroyed in Mayfield, Kentucky, the town where a candle factory collapsed on about 110 people.

“Our main station and the hub of our department” can’t be used, fire chief and EMS director Jeremy Creason told reporters on Saturday.

“That station is fully inoperable at this point. We had to extricate our own fire and EMS apparatus from that building just so we could respond last night,” he added.

Mayfield Police Chief Nathan Kent said during a press briefing that “our police station was destroyed in the storm. The bulk of our fleet that was parked there has also been compromised, but we are making do”.

PHOTOS: Kentuckians review damage to homes and businesses

Saturday 11 December 2021 21:25 , Gustaf Kilander

Eleven counties send ambulance crews to Kentucky town

Saturday 11 December 2021 21:05 , Gustaf Kilander

The town of Mayfield, Kentucky was hit hard by the system of nocturnal tornadoes that travelled through at least six states overnight between Friday and Saturday.

Fire chief and EMS director Jeremy Creason said “priority one” is the candle factory in the town that collapsed when hit by the strong winds. Search and rescue work is ongoing at the site.

“It’s going to be a long difficult job, but we’ve got good crews out there, we’ve got a lot of help from across the state coming in,” he said.

Eleven counties have sent ambulance crews to the town, Mr Creason said.

Read Mitch McConnell’s reaction to destruction in Kentucky

02:08 , Josh Marcus

One of the states hit hardest in Friday’s cluster of tornadoes was Kentucky, where as many as 100 people may have been killed.

US senator for Kentucky and minority leader Mitch McConnell has released a statement, praising first responders and lamenting the “tragedy” that has hit his state.

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02:06 , Josh Marcus

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READ: Mitch McConnell reacts to devastation in home state of Kentucky

01:56 , Josh Marcus

Kentucky, the home of Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, was one of the states hit hardest by Friday’s tornado cluster, with up to 100 feared dead.

Read the Republican leader’s full statement on the storms below.

Read Mitch McConnell’s full statement on the destruction in Kentucky

02:01 , Josh Marcus

One of the states hit hardest in Friday’s cluster of tornadoes was Kentucky, where up to 100 are feared dead.

Read the full statement below from US Senator Mitch McConnell. The Republican minority leader represents the state.

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02:03 , Josh Marcus

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Debris flies hundreds of miles as tornadoes tear up houses and cars

Saturday 11 December 2021 20:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Mitch McConnell: Read Kentucky senator’s reaction to destruction in home state

02:04 , Josh Marcus

One of the states hit hardest by Friday’s tornado cluster was Kentucky. As many as 100 people are feared dead there.

Read US Senator and Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell’s reaction to the storms in his home state.

PHOTOS: Residents and authorities review damage in Mayfield, Kentucky

Saturday 11 December 2021 20:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Biden promises support from federal government in call with Kentucky governor

Saturday 11 December 2021 20:15 , Gustaf Kilander

President Joe Biden promised to use the levers of the federal government to help state and local authorities with their recovery work during a call with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear after at least six states were hit by a number of tornadoes overnight.

“The President indicated that he has directed [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] and other Federal agencies to provide the speediest assistance possible to impacted communities. The President and the governor agreed to stay in contact throughout the day as search and rescue operations and damage assessments are ongoing,” the White House said.

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02:13 , Josh Marcus

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Photos show damage in small Kentucky town

Saturday 11 December 2021 20:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Arkansas governor says it’s ‘remarkable’ not more people are dead in his state

Saturday 11 December 2021 19:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson said on Saturday that it was “remarkable” that not more people are dead in Arkansas after tornadoes tore through at least six states.

Monette, Arkansas Mayor Bob Blankenship told CNN that two people have died there and that another person is reported to have died in a nearby town.

“Probably the most remarkable thing is that there’s not a greater loss of life,” Mr Hutchinson said.

“Our responsibility now is to make sure we have accurate damage assessments. We’re going to have to do a lot of debris removal,” the governor told reporters in Monette.

“We will be continuing to work to assess the damage in the coming days, and also to account for those that are still in critical condition and might have needs. I talked to them about the need for shelter, and we have, you know, our nonprofits, our churches, that are standing ready in the event of assistance if shelters need to be established,” Mr Hutchinson added.

Photos show partially collapsed Amazon warehouse in Illinois

Saturday 11 December 2021 19:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Dozens reported dead across five states

Saturday 11 December 2021 19:15 , Gustaf Kilander

At least 79 people have been reported dead across five states after tornadoes tore through the US overnight between Friday and Saturday.

At least 70 have died in Kentucky, with Governor Andy Beshear saying “it may, in fact, exceed 100 before the day is done”.

Monette, Arkansas Mayor Bob Blankenship told CNN that two people have died there and that another person is reported to have died in a nearby town.

Three people died as the storms hit Tennessee, according to the state’s Emergency Management Agency.

Edwardsville, Illinois Police Chief Mike Fillback has said that the partially collapsed Amazon warehouse in the area represents “an utter disaster” and he confirmed that at least two people have died.

Mary Enger at the St Charles County Emergency Management in Missouri has said that an 84-year-old woman died in her home in Defiance, just west of St Louis.

Map shows where ‘at least 32 tornadoes’ hit several states

Saturday 11 December 2021 19:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Drone video shows damage in Kentucky town where candle factory collapsed

Saturday 11 December 2021 18:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Images show Kentucky town of 2,600 completely destroyed

Saturday 11 December 2021 18:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Vice President Kamala Harris: ‘The devastation for these communities is heartbreaking'

Saturday 11 December 2021 18:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted on Saturday that the damage done by the tornadoes is “heartbreaking”.

She said she and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff “are praying for the families impacted by last night’s tornadoes. The devastation for these communities is heartbreaking. Our Administration is working with state and local officials to support immediate assistance and rescue efforts in the affected areas”.

Kentucky Candle Factory worker recalls moment building collapse as tornado hit

Saturday 11 December 2021 18:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Kyanna Parsons-Perez, 40, was one of the staffers trapped inside when a candle factory in Mayfield, Kentucky collapsed as it was hit by a tornado.

The storm came after the workers had been moved to a shelter area.

“We felt the wind. My ears started popping, and then it was like the building, like we all just rocked back and forth, and then boom, everything fell on us,” Ms Parsons-Perez told CNN. “It was the most terrifying thing that I have ever experienced in my life.”

“At first, I was really calm, and I was trying to keep my coworkers calm ... but then, after being pinned down for so long, and my legs were hurting and I couldn’t move them and I couldn’t feel them and stuff like that, I started to panic myself,” she said.

Governer Andy Beshear has said that there were about 110 people inside Mayfield Consumer Products when it collapsed.

“We believe we’ll lose at least dozens of those individuals,” he said early on Saturday.

Biden briefed on tornado devastation

Saturday 11 December 2021 17:40 , Gustaf Kilander

The White House said on Saturday that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the devastation hitting at least six states after tornadoes tore through the area.

Mr Biden was briefed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, Deanne Criswell, who “described the severe consequences, including in Kentucky, and tragic losses of life”.

The homeland security adviser, the deputy chief of staff, and the intergovernmental affairs director were also part of the briefing.

Ms Criswell “also briefed on the rapid deployment of FEMA emergency response personnel, water and other needed commodities,” the White House said.

“The President has directed that Federal resources be surged immediately to the locations where there is the greatest need to alleviate suffering from the devastating consequences of these storms,” the White House added. “Because damage assessments are ongoing, further briefings will be provided to the President in the course of the day.”

Kentucky Governor says number of dead ‘may in fact end up exceeding 100 before the day is done'

Saturday 11 December 2021 17:20 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has said that the number of dead “may in fact end up exceeding 100 before the day is done”.

He added that he thinks it’s “the deadliest tornado system” to ever hit the state of Kentucky.

The governor said earlier on Saturday that the state would lose at least 50 residents.

“I’m now certain that that number is north of 70,” Mr Beshear said during a press briefing.

Survivor says Kentucky candle factory fell like a ‘house of cards'

Saturday 11 December 2021 17:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Dozens are believed to have died when a candle factory in Kentucky, Mayfield Consumer Products, was hit by a tornado. Around 110 people are believed to have been inside.

“When I got to this area, it was flashing lights in every direction. Trees down, roads impassable. It looked like a war zone,” storm chaser Michael Gordon told CNN.

Kentucky Republican Representative James Comer told CNN: “When [first-responders] arrived on the scene, they didn’t think there would be any survivors. But they could hear people yelling for help. And they pulled people out, some people that didn’t experience any damages.”

“But, of course, now, you’re at the point to where you’re pulling out the people that didn’t make it,” Mr Comer added. “And there’s still lots of people unaccounted for in that factory.”

The estimates of casualties suggest that the string of tornadoes could be the worst weather event in the history of the state.

Nothing of this scale has been seen since 1917 when 67 people were killed in the western parts of the state.

“It has been one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history,” Kentuck Governor Andy Beshear said on Saturday. “Some areas have been hit in ways that are hard to put into words.”

Kyanna Parsons-Perez, 40, works at the candle factory that collapsed when it was hit by a tornado.

She told NBC News that everyone was “getting down, taking cover”, and then she felt her ears “popping”.

“Like, you know when you’re on the plane?” she said. Then the lights went out. “And then before you know it, it was like the building rocked and collapsed and we fell down.”

She said it was like a falling “house of cards”.

“We were just trying to stay calm until they come and got us,” she added.

Storm chaser shares video of dog in collapsed home

Saturday 11 December 2021 16:40 , Gustaf Kilander

Storm chaser Brandon Lee shared a video on Twitter of a dog in a collapsed house after tornadoes devastated areas in at least six states.

“This will be a night I won’t forget. Helping with search and rescue I found this dog protecting its puppies in a collapsed two-story home (Not sure about the people living here). Breaks my heart [to] see all these people lose everything,” Mr Lee wrote.

Photos show extent of damage after tornadoes hit at least six states

Saturday 11 December 2021 16:20 , Gustaf Kilander

Tornado could have covered 250 miles across four states

Saturday 11 December 2021 16:05 , Gustaf Kilander

One of the tornadoes to hit the US overnight could have gone on for as long 250 miles, hitting four states.

“The storm of this latest severe weather event tracked more than 250 miles through several states (including Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky),” the National Weather Service in Little Rock, Arkansas tweeted early on Saturday morning. “One or more deadly tornadoes were spawned, with major structural damage noted.”

It probably won’t be confirmed if it was one or several tornadoes until next week, but if it’s determined to be a single twister, it would be the longest tornado path ever recorded, CNN reported.

Photos show catastrophic damage in Kentucky

Saturday 11 December 2021 15:50 , Gustaf Kilander

Deadly twin tornados illuminated by lightning seen in Arkansas

Saturday 11 December 2021 15:35 , Gustaf Kilander

Before and after photos shows tornado damage in Mayfield, Kentucky

Saturday 11 December 2021 15:20 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky Republican Senator releases message of support

Saturday 11 December 2021 15:05 , Gustaf Kilander

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul tweeted on Saturday that “our hearts are broken for all those suffering from last night’s terrible storms”.

“I and my team will do all we can to assist local and state officials as they lead the immediate response, and will aggressively help families, businesses, and officials access recovery resources,” he added.

Videos show tornado tearing through Monette, Arkansas

Saturday 11 December 2021 14:50 , Gustaf Kilander

Republican Senate Minority leader releases statement on home state tornado damage

Saturday 11 December 2021 14:37 , Gustaf Kilander

The Republican Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said in a statement that he was “praying for the lives lost and communities impacted by the tornado devastation throughout the Commonwealth” of Kentucky.

“Thank you to the first responders and the National Guard for their brave efforts amid this tragedy,” he added. “As I continue to get reports from my staff, local and state officials, we will work with the entire Kentucky federal delegation to support Governor Andy Beshear’s request for federal assistance in order to aid these hard-hit communities with the funding and resources they need to rebuild.”

‘Just a pile of rubble’: Tornado flattens candle factory in Kentucky

Saturday 11 December 2021 14:26 , Gustaf Kilander

A candle factory was just one of many buildings suffering catastrophic damage overnight as tornadoes tore through Kentucky.

“When I got to this area, it was flashing lights in every direction. Trees down, roads impassable. It looked like a war zone,” storm chaser Michael Gordon told CNN.

Governor Andy Beshear said there were around 110 people in the building, Mayfield Consumer Products, when the tornado struck.

“We believe we’ll lose at least dozens of those individuals,” Mr Beshear said.

Kentucky Republican Representative James Comer told CNN: “When [first-responders] arrived on the scene, they didn’t think there would be any survivors. But they could hear people yelling for help. And they pulled people out, some people that didn’t experience any damages. But, of course, now, you’re at the point to where you’re pulling out the people that didn’t make it. And there’s still lots of people unaccounted for in that factory.”

Videos shows devastating damage in Kentucky

Saturday 11 December 2021 14:17 , Gustaf Kilander

Hundreds of thousands without power

Saturday 11 December 2021 14:07 , Gustaf Kilander

When morning came on Saturday, at least 132,000 homes in Tennessee had lost power. Almost 60,000 homes in Kentucky had gone dark, as had at least 25,000 in Arkansas, almost 24,000 in Illinois, and nearly 10,000 homes in Missouri, according to poweroutage.us.

At least five states hit by tornadoes as part of larger weather system

Saturday 11 December 2021 13:57 , Gustaf Kilander

At least five states – Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee – were hit by tornadoes overnight between Friday and Saturday.

The Storm Prediction Centre operations chief at the National Weather Service told The New York Times that the tornadoes were part of a weather system that was doing damage in large parts of the US, leading to massive snowfall in the upper Midwest as well as the western Great Lakes.

Amazon warehouse collapses with workers inside as deadly tornadoes rip through five US states

Saturday 11 December 2021 13:47 , Namita Singh

A major winter storm that began early on Friday has left a trail of destruction in the US as it ripped through five states, leading to the collapse of an Amazon warehouse in southern Illinois and multiple deaths at a nursing home in Arkansas.

Emergency vehicles have reached the Amazon fulfilment centre to begin rescue operations, with officials saying workers are believed to be trapped inside.

Tornadoes were also reported in Missouri and Tennessee, and Kentucky’s governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency in the early hours of Saturday, activating the Kentucky National Guard and the Kentucky State Police. He said an update with emergency management officials would be given at 5am on Saturday to assess the damage.

While the storm is affecting a large area that forecasters said could stretch to as much as half the country, the first deadly incident was reported at Monette Manor, a nursing home in Monette, Arkansas.

At least two residents were killed and five seriously injured after a tornado ripped through the facility at about 8.15pm on Friday night, trapping around 20 people inside the collapsing building, Craighead County Judge Marvin Day told the Associated Press.

Read more:

Workers trapped in Amazon warehouse collapse as tornadoes hit US states

Tornadoes in US have likely killed 50 people, says Kentucky governor

Saturday 11 December 2021 13:37 , The Independent

At least 50 people have been killed in a series of devastating tornadoes that hit Kentucky and other US states on Friday evening and early Saturday, according to the southern state’s governor.

In a press conference on Saturday morning, Democratic governor Andy Beshear said Kentucky was “nearing the end of the most severe tornado event” in the state’s history.

“We believe our death toll from this event will exceed 50 Kentuckians,” he said.

This figure would “probably end up closer to 70 to 100 lost lives”, Mr Beshear added.

The winter storm began in the early hours on Friday and has since torn through five states, leaving a trail of destruction that includes the collapse of an Amazon warehouse in Illinois, where the roof and a wall the length of a football field caved in.

Read more:

50 people ‘likely’ killed in US tornadoes