Tornadoes destroyed entire cities, rescuers continue to search for victims. The death toll could exceed a hundred.
At least 70 people were killed in a series of tornadoes that swept through the US state of Kentucky on the night of Saturday, December 11.
About it ABC News reports citing a statement by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
“It was the most destructive series of tornadoes in the history of our state,” Bechear stressed, adding that the number of victims of the disaster could still exceed a hundred. “I believe that this will be the deadliest series of tornadoes ever to pass through Kentucky.” >
It is noted that search and rescue operations continue. Meanwhile, at a candle factory in Mayfield, where 110 people worked at the time of the disaster, “dozens” of the dead were reported. It is known that about 40 people were evacuated.
One of the tornadoes covered a distance of 365 kilometers, according to Beshear, destroying cities such as Mayfield and Princeton. At least four more tornadoes swept through western Kentucky. “We have lost most of Dawson Springs,” the governor said about his father’s hometown.
The elements affected not only Kentucky, but also several other American states. For example, in Edwardsville, Illinois, an EF-3 tornado, whose speed reached about 218 kilometers per hour, caused “huge damage” to the Amazon warehouse.
Drone footage shows massive damage to Amazon warehouse facility in Illinois after tornadoes tore through the region; in the limit of two are confirmed mountain, officials say, і search and rescue efforts are ongoing. https://t.co/8TjaEeXbou pic.twitter.com/Lb30N6jFSn
– ABC News (@ABC) December 11, 2021
The collapse killed six people, another victim is in the hospital. It is known that several dozen workers were able to leave the building on their own, but the search for the alleged victims continues. “This is a tragic day in the history of Illinois,” Gov. Jay Robert Pritzker said.
And in Madisonville, Kentucky, a disaster caused a freight train carrying hazardous materials to derail. No casualties were reported.
In total, according to the newspaper, at least 22 tornadoes were registered in six US states, including Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Missippi, Missouri and Tennessee. More than 450,000 people were left without electricity.
“Other than Edwardsville, two EF-3 tornadoes have been confirmed in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and near Defiance, Missouri,” according to the National Weather Service. indicate journalists.
On the afternoon of December 11, US President Joe Biden approved the announcement of an emergency situation in 15 counties of Kentucky. During the briefing, the American leader suggested that this is “one of the largest tornado outbreaks in our history.”
