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The Kentucky governor says at least 50 people were killed and warned of the massive death toll at the damaged candle factory, which has also killed at least several other states.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Saturday said authorities believe more than 50 people could be killed in the state after several tornadoes were torn down, including some dead in neighboring states hit by storms.
In the Mayfield community of southwest Kentucky, a candle factory with workers inside was “essentially leveled,” according to police. Beshear described the situation on the site as “tragic”.
“There were about 110 people there at the time of the tornado,” he said at a news conference Saturday morning. Beshear said the death toll could be “between 70 and 100”.
“We believe we will lose at least dozens of people. It’s very hard, really hard, and we’re praying for each of these families. “
Beshear, who declared a state of emergency, said the harshest tornado had torn the state 200 miles (322 km), and said it was “the worst in Kentucky’s history.”
Elsewhere, police in Edwardsville, Illinois, confirmed the dead at an Amazon facility, where the roof ripped off the building and a wall about the length of a football field collapsed, the Associated Press reported. At least 100 emergency vehicles were dropped off at the warehouse 40 km (25 miles) east of St. Louis.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said, “My prayers are with the people of Edwardsville tonight.”
“Both our Illinois State Police and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency are closely coordinating with local officials and I will continue to monitor the situation,” he added.
In a statement, Amazon spokesman Richard Rocha said, “The safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority now. We are assessing the situation and sharing additional information when it becomes available.”
It was not immediately clear how many people were injured, but one person was airlifted to hospital.
On Saturday morning, rescue teams were still sorting the debris, including bran and backhoes to help move the debris. Police said the process would take several hours.
Meanwhile, Dean Flener, a spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, said three storm-related deaths were confirmed in the northwestern part of the state. Two of the deaths occurred in Lake County and a third in Obion County.
At least one person was killed and five were seriously injured when a tornado broke the roof of a Monette nursing home in northern Arkansas, U.S. media reported.
Craighead County official Marvin Day told local news channels that rescuers had successfully rescued those trapped in the building and that the structure was “quite destroyed.”
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