UPDATE: At least 50 people are likely dead following a tornado in Kentucky, governor says

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Last edited Sat Dec 11, 2021, 06:59 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: CNN

(CNN) - At least 50 people are likely dead after multiple tornadoes barreled through southwestern Kentucky late Friday, according to Gov. Andy Beshear. "We believe our death toll from this event will exceed 50 Kentuckians, probably end up closer to 70 to 100 lost lives," Beshear said at a briefing Saturday morning, calling the storms that hit the state "the most severe tornado event in Kentucky's history."

Preliminary investigations indicate four tornadoes may have hit the state, including one that potentially stayed on the ground for more than 200 miles, Beshear said. Damage has been reported in at least 15 counties stretching across western Kentucky.The worst destruction was in Graves County, he told CNN affiliate WLKY, particularly the town of Mayfield. "It hit Mayfield as hard as just about any town ... has ever been hit."

About 110 people were at a candle factory at the time the tornado hit, and Beshear said, "We believe we'll lose at least dozens of those individuals." "It is a significant, massive disaster event," state emergency management director Michael Dorsett said, adding that search-and-rescue efforts are ongoing and began even as the storms were in the area.

The tornadoes were among a multitude that spawned in the overnight hours Friday as a line of powerful storms ripped through the central US.Mayfield is a city of around 10,000 people, according to the US Census. Buildings struck include the Graves County Courthouse and adjoining jail.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/11/weather/severe-weather-tornadoes-saturday/index.html

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That system (a cold front) is headed this way and we still have many in the Philly metro area who are still without homes (or still have damaged ones) after the tornado outbreak and major flooding triggered by the remnants of Hurricane Ida in early September.

Original article -

(CNN) At least 50 people are likely dead after a tornado hit southwestern Kentucky late Friday, according to Gov. Andy Beshear. "We know that we are likely to have more than 50 deaths, if not significantly north of that, from this event," Beshear told CNN affiliate WLKY.

Most of the destruction centered on Graves County, he said, including the town of Mayfield. "It hit Mayfield as hard as just about any town ... has ever been hit."The tornado was one of a multitude spawned in the overnight hours Friday as a line of powerful storms ripped through the central US.

The governor said "two tractor-trailers filled with water" are headed to Mayfield to make sure people have usable drinking water. Beshear had declared a state of emergency overnight, deploying the National Guard.

"We have one factory in Mayfield with a roof collapse that is going to be a mass casualty event," Beshear told WLKY. Buildings struck include the Graves County Courthouse and adjoining jail.