Beshear advised people to bring their medication bottles, although he noted grimly that the pharmacy recognizes that you probably dont have them.. I didnt think it would ever end.. Luckily, we had a half-basement, so that saved my mom and my boy, so. Over 70 feared dead as 22 reported tornadoes rip through - ABC News Similar destructive storms have hit parts of the United States in December in 2000, 2015, 2018 and 2019. There were at least 50 tornado reports from late Friday into Saturday in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee, according to the Storm Prediction. And for those that have seen it, what its done here in Grace County and elsewhere, it is indescribable. Everywhere along the line of this tornado that touched down and stayed down for 227 miles over 200 in Kentucky has been severely and significantly impacted. I have talked to the secretary of Homeland Security, while I have been here, he has pledged his full support and we are hearing that from every part of the federal administration and from our U.S. senators and from our congressmen. Here's its path 0:00 1:52 Lucas Aulbach Louisville Courier Journal The largest and most devastating of the five. At least eight people were confirmed dead after the roof of a candle factory in Mayfield collapsed. Pictures of damage in Pleasureville showed trees knocked over, siding and walls damaged to homes, and what appeared to be a wooden carport blown over onto two vehicles. At least five states were swept by tornadoes on Friday, including Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee. A thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was spotted near Springfield at 8:48 a.m., heading east at 60 miles per hour. Kentucky Gov. There were no other fatalities or injuries reported in the county, Lieutenant Miller said, but the destruction was severe. Kentucky tornado likely killed dozens, Gov. says; multiple states hit Andy Beshear said at a Saturday morning briefing he expects 70 to 100 deaths from the tornadoes, including "at least dozens" of deaths from Mayfield, Kentucky factory that was hit . A severe thunderstorm watch is still in effect in the area until at least 1 p.m., the NWS said. It was very monstrous.. The Edwardsville Police Department in Illinois said early Saturday that the storms had resulted in catastrophic damage to a significant portion of an Amazon warehouse. Tim Fitzsimons is a reporter for NBC News. Several homes were damaged, and although the highway was cleared by Saturday morning, the extent of the destruction had not yet been determined, said Mary Enger, director of communications for St. Charles County. Other buildings had been reduced to piles of red bricks. Kentucky governor estimates at least 70 dead after tornadoes, storms hit multiple states overnight. Tornadoes, hail, wind and haze. The aftermath of the tornadoes has compounded what was already a challenging year in Kentucky. Link Copied! Well be OK, she added. New forecast shows less severe storms, Updated: Tornado confirmed in Kentucky. And we still dont know how many lives were lost or the full extent of the damage. Other states were also hit hard. pic.twitter.com/sAITDlhgHt, My brother took this video during the storm. Obviously, this is what I grew up in. All Rights Reserved. The tornado remained on the . "There's nothing left here. Beshear declares state of emergency in Kentucky amid severe weather In a preliminary survey released Monday, the NWS said the tornado touched down around 6:30 PM just northwest of Hickory. Many others were still waiting to hear whether relatives had survived, as spotty cellphone service made it even more difficult to determine who was missing. January 13, 6:50 a.m. - An EF-1 tornado was confirmed in Henry County Thursday, according to the NWS. "Were not going anywhere. The overall number of tornadoes annually is holding steady around 1,200. So all we can do is just clean up and start again," said Wayne Flint, whose family restaurant was flattened. Illinois Gov. Like hurricanes and earthquakes, tornadoes are rated on a scale. According to the LG&E-KU outage map, the number of customers without power has increased to 30,502 from 361 events. Bill Lee said at a news conference in Nashville. The dead in Kentucky ranged in age from 2 months to 98 years old. Complicating rescue efforts were thousands of power outages across the region. But amid anguish and worry, there was also gratitude among those who survived. District authorities were also in touch with local utility companies, including Ameren. Western New York, Indiana and Michigan remained under wind advisories on Saturday evening, with wind gusts as high as 64 miles per hour reported in Michigan, according to the National Weather Service. Saturday Tornado Confirmed In Western Kentucky | WKDZ Radio Live updates: Tornado damage in Kentucky and other states - CNN The level of devastation is unlike anything I have ever seen.. ", We knew it was bad, but not till the sun started coming up did we look at it and saw matchsticks, she said. Another tornado was also confirmed in Ballard County, according to the NWS. Nothing was salvageable except for the communion table., Thats one of the reasons I love this place, Ms. Swant said after the truck pulled away. About 10 minutes later, the tornado struck the warehouse, sending the walls crashing down. The depth of the quake was approximately 22 miles. Ive spoken several times a day with the head of FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management agency, as well as the director of FEMA, who has already been deployed already deployed emergency response personnel to these states, search and rescue teams, water and other supplies. Beshear said Monday morning that it would take a week or even more before we have a final count on the number of lost lives," saying the "mountain of waste" included perished livestock. The storms started in Western Kentucky early Thursday morning, moving into Central Kentucky later in the morning and progressing into Eastern Kentucky too. Earlier today, I called the governors of the states that have been experiencing severe impacts of the storms, including Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri as well as Tennessee. Swant hurried into her cellar at around 9 p.m. on Friday. This is the second straight day activities have been canceled. Mr. Pritzker said he urged the company to provide every assistance to this community, which they have said they intend to do.. 1:19. The declaration, which must first be requested by states, allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to dispatch additional equipment, funds and resources to the state. Tornado Warning including Richmond KY, Nicholasville KY and Wilmore KY until 9:45 AM EST pic.twitter.com/u02FzQIN2f. The National Weather Service in Paducah confirmed an EF-1 tornado tracked through portions of Graves, Marshall, and Lyon counties Saturday evening. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. Andy Beshear said in an update Monday afternoon that 74 people in the state had been confirmed dead and that over 100 others were unaccounted for, with both numbers expected to grow. This has been the most devastating tornado event in our states history, Mr. Beshear said at the briefing. In Illinois, a tornado caused the walls and roof of an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville to collapse, killing six people. 2023 www.courier-journal.com. Heres a roundup of some notable tornadoes and tornado clusters that have hit the United States in December. Environment. Scientists have been able to draw links between a warming planet and hurricanes, heat waves and droughts, attributing the likelihood that climate change played a role in individual isolated events. Everybody was in a panic. #kywx #inwx pic.twitter.com/rSbjh46lr2. Even as scientists are discovering trends around tornadoes and their behavior, it remains unclear the role that climate change plays. NWS survey results from another possible tornado in Madison County havent beenreleased. In Bowling Green, Ky., a tornado reached wind speeds of 150 miles per hour and severely damaged homes and businesses. Deadly Tornadoes Slam Six States A massive search-and-rescue operation is underway after several tornadoes ripped through Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued until 7 p.m. for Jefferson County and surrounding areas after a thunderstorm was located above St. Dennis and was moving southeast at 35 mph. Autumn brought a frightening spike in the coronavirus that made the pandemic as bad in Kentucky as it has ever been, Mr. Beshear said. However, Fayette along with Boyle, Clark, Garrard, Jessamine, Madison, Mercer, Larue, Nelson, Washington, Casey, Grayson, Green, Hart, Lincoln, Marion, Taylor, Adair, Barren, Edmonson and Metcalfe counties are all under a flood advisory until 2:30 p.m, according to the NWS. Of the 110 people working in the candle factory when the tornado hit, he said, just 40 have been rescued. Officials in Arkansas said that at least two people were killed in the state . Cope did, splitting the night shifts with his son, except on Wednesdays, when the two work together. At least six states Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee were hit by tornadoes on Friday night, according to reports from the National Weather Service. Well be OK. Itll take a while. People ask me, What do we do? I dont know, Ive never done this, you know? Reach reporter Caleb Wiegandt at cwiegandt@gannett.com. Maps: Where the Tornadoes Struck, Destroying Buildings and Homes While much of the nation slept early Saturday morning, a series of tornadoes rocked Western Kentucky and other areas in the Southeast and Midwest, causing dozens of casualties and a ton of. But the fact is that we all know everything is more intense when the climate is warming, Mr. Biden said. Previously, he spent six years in the Navy, including deployments to the Mediterranean, before he was given an honorable discharge five years ago. "We're not going to let any of our folks go homeless," he added. 11:55 a.m. Marion, Taylor and Washington counties are all under a flash flood warning until at least 2:45 p.m., according to the NWS. At least six people died after an Amazon warehouse in Illinois took a direct hit. Youve lost so much and so quickly. Flash flooding will be a concern for these places, and particularly for burn scar areas where debris buildup can pose a threat to life and property, the forecast said. The trailer ended up on top of her, pinning her down from the waist down, said Ken Miller, a lieutenant with the Cheatham County sheriffs office. And its a tragedy. Aerial footage by a local news outlet showing damage caused by severe weather to an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Ill. Officials said there were confirmed fatalities after a roof collapsed at the warehouse. @Kentuckyweather roof of Harrodsburg YMCA rolled back. Neighbors help neighbors. Kentuckians as young as 2 months and as old as 98 were among the dead in the devastating tornadoes that ripped through the state over the weekend and leveled communities . Cope didnt sound scared, Ms. NWS: 3 tornadoes confirmed after latest storm system in Kentucky About 77,000 customers in Kentucky and 53,000 customers in Tennessee were without power as of Saturday evening, according to PowerOutage.us. Across Indiana, strong winds were impeding power restoration efforts, said Michael Bianski, a senior communications consultant for the energy provider, Indiana Michigan Power. When Amazon opened the facilities, it put us on the map, Walter Williams, the economic development coordinator for Madison County, which includes Edwardsville, said on Saturday. Amazon opened two warehouses in Edwardsville in 2016, employing about 2,200 people, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported in 2017. Andy Beshear of Kentucky said on Saturday. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois said that he had spoken with President Biden and Deanne Criswell, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and that he had also spoken to an official from Amazon. Based on the level of damage, scientists then reverse-engineer the wind speeds and assign a tornado a rating on the scale. At least 70 feared dead in Kentucky alone, governor says, after tornadoes hit central and southern US | CNN 'The Fourth in America' CNN hosts a night of celebration with fireworks and. Survey is still in progress. Air quality worsens as Canadian fire smoke wafts through KY. The Louisville area is expected to see high winds starting around 8 p.m. Friday. He had a whole wall full of plaques and medals and trophies. The only indication of what it once was: The scents of vanilla and lavender, along with aromas that conjured up springtime and fresh laundry all from the chemicals used in the candles were picked up by powerful winds. Tornadoes Leave Trail of Devastation Across Six States, With Scores Dead. Why the switch? Tariro Mzezewa,Rick Rojas,Mike Ives,Daniel Victor,Rex Sakamoto and Sophie Kasakove. Two FEMA teams were on their way to Kentucky to assist with coordinating the recovery effort, and other teams prepared to assess the damage were ready to deploy to Kentucky or any other affected areas, according to a statement from the agency. Severe weather moved through the region Sunday evening and overnight leaving thousands without power. It was like a roaring train, she said. In Mayfield, in what may be the single largest loss of life on Friday, 110 workers were trapped inside a candle factory when the tornado roared through in the evening. For a lot of our questions about climate change and tornadoes, the answer is we dont know, said Harold Brooks, a senior research scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Following the severe storms, forecasters are expecting light snowfall across the state Friday. According to the LG&E-KU outage map, the number of customers without power has increased to 24,503 from 323 events. If youre in or around Richmond seek shelter NOW! Its a horrible tragedy, said Ms. The Mercer County tornado touched down around 9 a.m. just outside Harrodsburg. When more people saw Amazon here, they started saying, We need to look there., Daniel Victor,Sophie Kasakove,Eric Berger,Robert Chiarito and Tariro Mzezewa. Beshear said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union": "I've got towns that are gone," including half of his father's hometown, Dawson Springs. When the air is unstable, cold air is pushed over warmer humid air, creating an updraft as the warm air rises. Suddenly, Ms. Perez found herself under five feet of debris, pinned under a water fountain and an air conditioning unit. About 40 people were rescued, officials said, but the last person found alive was pulled out at 3:30 a.m. Mr. Beshear said he expected that dozens of others had not survived. 0:41. He would often come to his parents house about a 10-minute drive from his house in Alton, Ill. to cook dinner together. At least 70 dead as tornadoes sweep US midwest, leaving many without Researchers say that in recent years tornadoes seem to be occurring in greater clusters, and that the region known as tornado alley in the Great Plains, where most tornadoes occur, appears to be shifting eastward. At least two people were confirmed dead in Arkansas, one of them a person at a nursing home in Monette. Most of the citys intersections were without power and officers were directing traffic, according to the Harrodsburg Police Department. Scientists are not sure whether there is a link between climate change and the frequency or strength of tornadoes, in part because of limited data. Were going to have to replace siding, were going to have to replace our roof, so its done quite a bit of damage.. LOCAL A massive tornado ripped through Kentucky for more than 200 miles. We dont see evidence for changes in average annual occurrence or intensity over the last 40 to 60 years.. Chimneys crumbled. She put her own self at risk, said Mr. Harris, a 44-year-old St. Louis resident who has worked at Amazon since September. The biggest challenge in the coming days, he said, will be communication, because the forces vehicular fleet was compromised by the tornado. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning lasting until 6:45 p.m. for Shively, Corydon, Indiana and New Salisbury, Indiana. Tens of thousands of homes in Tennessee remained without power on Saturday night, and officials were just beginning to assess the damage, which Mr. Lee said was in the multiple millions of dollars. . Our ears were popping, and my little sister was just in a panic. Flash flooding is either ongoing or expected to begin shortly, according to NWS. There was a slight risk of severe storms for parts of the Southeast and Tennessee Valley on Saturday night, the National Weather Service said in an advisory at 2:39 p.m. Eastern time. MAYFIELD, Ky. Three days after tornadoes tore a 200-mile wound through Kentucky, scores of people remained unaccounted for on Monday. At least 70 are dead in Kentucky, in 'the most devastating tornado event' in state history. But well be OK.. Some of the largest buildings in town had been leveled or were close to it. 3:13pm Update: Survey team in Boyle County near Danville has found at least EF-1 tornado damage. South winds 6 to 10 mph becoming west in the evening. Theres just really no words to describe it when they tell you your sons dead, said Ms. Monday: A 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Jill and I pray, and I sincerely mean this, pray for those whove lost loved ones and for those who are uncertain of the fate of their loved ones, and the debris that you see scattered all over the hurricanes path. Flash flooding is either ongoing or expected to begin shortly, according to NWS. The National Weather Service said the storm was on the ground for over a mile and had a path roughly 100 yards wide. They wanted to see the improvements the Swants had made to the house and thank them for putting in the effort to bring back an historic house that had sat empty for years. a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration database, Pledging Federal Aid, President Says Our Citizens Are Badly, Badly Hurt.. The tornadoes, which included the largest in Kentuckys history, mangled many communities beyond recognition, and officials cautioned that recovery would be slow. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. A tornados relatively small size also makes it harder to model, the primary tool that scientists use when attributing extreme weather events to climate change. The warning will be in effect until 10 a.m. A severe thunderstorm was spotted near Lawrenceburg at 9:03 a.m., heading east at 60 miles per hour, the NWS said. My neighbor actually called me and wanted to make sure that we werent home because she was concerned because we also have two small children, she said. Youre not wrong, When will Kentuckys weather clear up? Beshear said he suspected that "thousands" of homes had been lost. Is your neighborhood still without power? Clearing debris from the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Ill., on Saturday. Published: Jan. 12, 2023 at 6: . #kywx. Andy Beshear spoke emotionally about the state's death toll after multiple tornadoes ripped across the Midwest and South Friday night. Kentucky tornadoes: up to 100 feared dead in historic US storms