As many storms battered swaths of the country, at least 50 people were killed after four tornadoes tore through the southeastern US state of Kentucky, its governor told reporters early Saturday.
Governor Andy Beshear claimed the strongest tornado in Kentucky’s history ripped through 200 miles of the state, destroying a number of counties.
On the same night, a storm smashed through a big Amazon warehouse in Illinois, trapping roughly 100 workers inside, according to local media.
“I think there are more than 50 dead… probably closer to somewhere between 70 and 100, it’s tragic,” Beshear said, adding that it was Kentucky’s “most destructive tornado occurrence.”
The roof of a candle factory collapsed in one event, causing “many casualties” in Mayfield, according to the governor.
Buildings were ripped apart by the storm, with bent metal, trees, and dislodged bricks thrown across the streets and only the ruins of dwellings left behind, according to photos and videos shared on social media from Mayfield.
Images from US news outlets showed a dark cylinder racing across the landscape, lit by sporadic lightning strikes.
“I issued a state of emergency before midnight,” Beshear stated.
As the area’s power outages continued, he noted, a large number of search and rescue personnel had been dispatched to preserve lives.
