Tornadoes lash US, death toll in Kentucky likely to be 100

Bloomberg

The US South and Midwest were slammed by tornadoes, with the death toll in Kentucky likely to be over 50 while a partial roof collapse at an Amazon.com warehouse in Illinois resulted in an unspecified number of fatalities.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency, activated the National Guard, and asked President Joe Biden for an emergency declaration. Beshear said at a press conference that fatalities in the state could be as high as 100, chiefly from a candle factory in Mayfield, Graves County, that collapsed.
“It’s really hard, it’s really tough and we are praying for each and every one of those families,” he said. The National Weather Service warned that nighttime tornadoes “are particularly dangerous” since people may not be listening for severe weather warnings.

Multiple additional incidents have been reported from four tornadoes to touch down in Kentucky. Thousands of homes in the state were left without power.
“This tornado may surpass the 1974 super outbreak as one of the most deadliest in Kentucky history,” said Michael Dossett, director of the state’s Division of Emergency Management at the press briefing. “Rescues and search efforts are ongoing.”
Graves County, in the state’s far southwest, bordering Tennessee, was the hardest hit among about 19 countries to experience storm damage.
In Illinois, part of the roof and wall collapsed at a large Amazon fulfillment site near Edwardsville, northeast of St Louis.
The Edwardsville police department reported “catastrophic damage” to a significant portion of the structure, and “confirmed fatalities.”
Local media reported at least one death, citing the Edwardsville police chief.
My prayers are with the people of Edwardsville tonight, and I’ve reached out to the mayor to provide any needed state resources.
Three storm-related deaths were confirmed in Tennessee, according to the state’s emergency management authorities.
At least two people were reported dead in Arkansas, where Governor Asa Hutchinson said a tornado touched down in Mississippi County, north of Memphis, Tennessee.