More than 80 people are feared dead following reports of tornadoes late Friday and early Saturday in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.
In Kentucky alone, the death toll may be more than 70, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday, calling it “one of the toughest nights” in state history.
Destroyed buildings, downed power lines and wrecked vehicles lined the streets in hard-hit areas, making it harder for rescuers trying to reach communities with no phone or power lines after the twisters hit.
“This has been the most devastating tornado event in our state’s history,” Beshear said at a news conference. “The level of devastation is unlike anything I have ever seen.”
Arkansas officials have reported two weather-related deaths; Tennessee has confirmed four; Illinois has reported six; and Missouri two. Kentucky has not released an official death toll, but it’s believed to be one of the hardest-hit states.
Family members search for those unaccounted for
Beshear visited some of the affected areas Saturday to assess the damage. In his father’s hometown of Dawson Springs, which has a population of about 2,700, some remain unaccounted for.
“One block from my grandparent’s house, there’s no house standing and we don’t know where all those people are,” Beshear said.
“There’s at least 15 feet of metal with cars on top of it, barrels of corrosive chemicals that are there. It will be a miracle if anybody else is found alive in it,” Beshear said. “Downtown is completely devastated.”
Some family members are still searching for relatives who worked at the candle factory.
Paige Tingle, who was looking for her mother-in-law, Jill Monroe, said time is of the essence. The last time the family spoke with her, she was in the bathroom in the safe shelter area,” Tingle said Saturday.
“She [Monroe] has lung problems, she has heart problems,” Tingle said. “We’ve got to get her.”
The family checked local hospitals but they haven’t found her. Calls to her phone have gone unanswered.
Ivy Williams was at the Mayfield site Saturday looking for his wife of 30-plus years, Janine Williams, who was at the factory.
“I hope she’s somewhere safe,” Williams said, through tears. “Please call me … I’m looking for you, baby.” He last heard from her before the tornado hit, and was shocked to find the building completely leveled when he arrived at the scene.
First responders have pulled people out of the rubble — some of them alive, storm chaser Michael Gordon told CNN Saturday from the scene.
“It’s kind of hard to talk about. … They’re digging in that rubble by hand right now,” Gordon said.
The state has deployed the National Guard to conduct door-to-door to searches, clear debris from roadways, and take generators to help power shelters and hospitals.
The governor urged people in affected communities that still have power to stay off the roads.
“Let our first responders get to everybody. Don’t go to these areas to see it. We need to make sure those who do this work can do it at the fastest possible speed,” he said.
He also implored those who can to donate blood.
“We were already pretty short with Covid out there. We’re going to have a lot of deaths, but we are also going to have a lot of injuries,” he said.
Kentucky State Police Lt. Dean Patterson said the destruction is unlike anything he’s seen before. And the rescue and recovery effort will come with challenges.
“It’s a very thorough and slow process, because you have to be careful when you are dealing with so much debris, and so many unknowns. One wrong move and you could actually cause more damage, so it’s a slow methodical process. Lots of people out there, working together to do everything they can to hopefully find some survivors in that devastating area.”
A hospital in Paducah, Kentucky, some 27 miles north of Mayfield, has been treating tornado victims. A majority of them had chemical burns, long bone injuries and crush injuries, Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital spokesperson Nanette Bentley said.
National Weather Service Chief Meteorologist John Gordon told a news conference in Kentucky that the tornado event was a “worst-case scenario.”
“Warm air in the cold season, middle of the night — this sickens me to see what has happened,” he said. “Look at the pictures on your screens. Homes, totally impaled, two-by-fours through cars, eighteen-wheelers thrown 30 feet moved in the northwesterly direction — that takes a lot of force.”
Deaths reported in several other states
In addition to Kentucky, deadly destruction was also reported in Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee.
In the northeastern Arkansas city of Monette, at least one person was killed at a nursing home damaged by a tornado, Mayor Bob Blankenship said. A second person died after the storm hit a Dollar General store in nearby Leachville, officials said.
“At this point, I have two confirmed deaths. One is in Monette at the nursing home and the other one was in Leachville at a store that was struck in deadly fashion,” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson told CNN.
Officials confirmed two storm-related deaths in Missouri.
“In St. Charles County, a woman was killed at home and two others were hospitalized. In Pemiscot County, a young child was killed at home and at least nine people were transported to hospitals,” Gov. Mike Parson’s office said in a news release.
Tennessee is reporting a total of four weather-related deaths from the severe weather. Two were in Lake County, one in Obion County, and one in Shelby County, Tennessee Emergency Management spokesman Dean Flener said.
CNN’s Paul P. Murphy, Nadia Romero, Keith Allen, Brandon Miller, Joe Sutton, Dave Hennen, Haley Brink, Dave Alsup, Travis Caldwell, Laura Studley, DJ Judd, Andy Rose, Sharif Paget and Carma Hassan contributed to this report.