Between 50 and 100 Kentuckians were lost Friday night and Saturday morning in what will go down as one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in the history of the country.
What will almost certainly go in the books as the longest-lived tornado devastated a path that’s 227 miles long and goes from central Arkansas well into Kentucky.
Mayfield was hit the hardest, as the roof to a candle factory there collapsed and Governor Andy Beshear says dozens inside were killed.
Numerous structures were damaged or destroyed in Mayfield, including the county courthouse.
Across Western Kentucky, the death toll could approach 100.
He noted that Dawson Springs, the hometown of his father, was also hit hard and says there’s loss there.
During an appearance on WHOP’s live storm coverage early Saturday, he announced he’d declared a state of emergency and that will allow him to bring in the National Guard where they are needed.
Signgificant damage was reported across the region—in Marshall, McCracken, Hopkins, Lyon and Muhlenberg counties—and the governor says he’ll visit the region as soon as the weather calms enough for it to be safe to travel.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says Interstate 69 continues to be blocked at the Graves-Marshall County Line due to a downed cross-country power transmission line and numerous downed trees along the path of a tornado.
This between Benton and Mayfield around the 34 to 37 mile marker.