President Biden approves disaster declaration for Kentucky after deadly tornadoes

President Joe Biden approved Gov. Andy Beshear's request for an emergency disaster declaration for Kentucky Saturday, following tornadoes that cut deadly and destructive paths across more than a dozen counties in the western part of the commonwealth.

Biden ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts to respond to the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes that began Friday night and continued through the following morning.

Beshear requested an immediate federal emergency declaration from the White House, while also declaring a state of emergency after the tornadoes first his Friday night.

The governor has activated the National Guard and is deploying 181 guardsmen in the early morning hours — including search and extraction and debris clearance personnel — who arrived later that morning.

Biden's approval of the emergency declaration authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate all disaster relief efforts and provide assistance to save lives and protect property, public health and safety in the following counties: Breckenridge, Bullitt, Caldwell, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hickman, Hopkins, Lyon, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Shelby, Spencer and Warren.

FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide equipment and resources necessary to address the emergency, provided at 75% federal funding.

Beshear has estimated the death toll to surpass 70 and perhaps reach 100 or more.

The deadliest tornado event in Kentucky history was in 1890, when 76 were killed in Jefferson County. In 1974, a super outbreak of tornadoes killed more than 70 in Kentucky over the course of 24 hours.

Reach reporter Joe Sonka at jsonka@courierjournal.com and follow him on Twitter at @joesonka. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today at the top of this page.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Biden approves disaster declaration for after Kentucky tornado damage