(NEW YORK) — A devastating tornado outbreak has killed dozens of people across two states, with Kentucky seeing its deadliest tornado system ever, officials said.
At least 70 people were killed in western Kentucky, and the death toll could exceed 100 people, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.
“This has been the most devastating tornado event in our state’s history,” Beshear said during a Saturday morning press briefing. For those that have seen it, what it’s done here and Graves County and elsewhere, it is indescribable.”
“Dozens” were killed at a candle factory in Mayfield, where 110 people were working when the storm hit Friday night, Beshear said during a 4 a.m. press conference.
One tornado was potentially on the ground for 200 miles, he said, devastating towns like Mayfield and Princeton late Friday. At least four tornadoes tore through western Kentucky.
Beshear has activated the National Guard with 181 guardsmen deployed for search and rescue and recovery operations.
“We will make it through this, we will rebuild,” Beshear said at a 4 a.m. press conference. “We are strong, resilient people, and we will be there every step of the way.”
In southern Illinois, in Edwardsville, an Amazon distribution warehouse was hit by a tornado, causing massive damage to the facility, officials said. The EF-3 tornado had peak winds of at least 136 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Officials confirmed at least two fatalities, but said the search and rescue operations are still ongoing. Several dozen workers were able to escape from the building on their own, Edwardsville Police Chief Michael Fillback said Saturday morning.
In a statement Saturday morning, Richard Rocha, an Amazon spokesperson, said: “The safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority right now. We’re assessing the situation and will share additional information when it’s available.”
There were at least 22 reported tornadoes across six states: Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. In addition to Edwardsville, two EF-3 tornadoes were confirmed in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and near Defiance, Missouri, according to the National Weather Service.
A powerful supercell thunderstorm traveled more than 200 miles Friday night, from Arkansas to Kentucky, and likely spawned several large, strong tornadoes across four states.
Michael Dossett, director of Kentucky’s Division of Emergency Management, compared the storms to the April 1974 outbreak that spawned hundreds of tornadoes across several states and killed more than 30 in Kentucky alone.
“Rescues and search efforts are ongoing, even before the wind stopped blowing, crews were out working,” Dossett said Saturday morning.
Beshear declared a state of emergency and has already submitted a request for a federal emergency declaration. Despite a COVID-19 surge in Kentucky, he said hospitals were in good shape.
In Madisonville, Kentucky, a train derailment was caused by the storms, though there were no reported injuries. The freight train was carrying hazardous materials, Beshear wrote in his letter asking for a federal emergency declaration.
The storms began to cause tornadoes in the early evening hours west of Kentucky.
Shortly before 7 p.m. local time, a “large and extremely dangerous tornado” was confirmed near Jonesboro, Arkansas, moving northeast at 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
A tornado near Hornersville, Missouri, was on the ground at about 8 p.m. local time.
Tornadoes were also confirmed on the ground in Mayfield, Kentucky, at about 9:30 p.m. local time and in Princeton, Kentucky, just after 10 p.m. local time.
Drone footage shows massive damage to Amazon warehouse facility in Illinois after tornadoes tore through the region; at least two are confirmed dead, officials say, and search and rescue efforts are ongoing.
In southern Illinois, in Edwardsville, an Amazon distribution warehouse was hit by an apparent tornado, causing massive damage to the facility, officials said. Officials there confirmed at least two fatalities, but called the search and rescue operations still ongoing. Several dozen workers were able to escape from the building on their own, Edwardsville Police Chief Michael Fillback said Saturday morning.
In Madisonville, Kentucky, a train derailment was caused by the storms, though there were no reported injuries. The freight train was carrying hazardous materials, Beshear wrote in his letter asking for a federal emergency declaration.
The storms began to cause tornadoes in the early evening hours west of Kentucky.
In Monette, Arkansas, one person was killed at a nursing home when a suspected tornado moved through Friday night, Craighead County, Arkansas, Judge Marvin Day told Jonesboro ABC affiliate KAIT. Authorities had initially said two people were killed. Five others suffered serious injuries.
FEMA is advising residents from east-central Mississippi to extreme southwestern Virginia to stay vigilant as the storm system moves east. Damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes will be possible, mainly early in the day, officials said.
As of 11 a.m. Saturday, more than 450,000 customers were without power across Tennessee, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas.
ABC News’ Ahmad Hemingway, Matt Foster and Hope Osemwenkhae contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.