Deadly tornadoes rip across Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee: LIVE UPDATES
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear estimated that more than 70 are dead after a candle factory in Mayfield with around 110 people inside was flattened.
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President Biden spoke with Kentucky Governor Beshear regarding Friday's severe weather and pledged the federal government's support for the state of Kentucky.
"President Biden spoke with Kentucky Governor Beshear again this evening to get an update on the latest damage assessments and search and rescue efforts. The President reaffirmed the Federal government’s support for the people of Kentucky throughout the difficult time ahead," the White House statement read.
Tennessee officials said during a press conference on Saturday night that four people have passed away as a result of the severe storms that went through the state on Friday night. One person is reported to be missing as well, officials said.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker reported that six people have died as a result of the Amazon warehouse collapse in Edwardsville that occurred last night as a result of a tornado that went through the area.
Workers remove debris from an Amazon Fulfillment Center in Edwardsville, Illinois, on December 11, 2021, after it was hit by a tornado. - Tornadoes ripped through five US states overnight, leaving more than 70 people dead Saturday in Kentucky and causing multiple fatalities at an Amazon warehouse in Illinois that suffered "catastrophic damage" with around 100 people trapped inside. The western Kentucky town of Mayfield was "ground zero" of the storm -- a scene of "massive devastation," one official said. (Photo by TIM VIZER/AFP via Getty Images)
Biden said he would visit the affected states, but he didn't want to do so if it would complicate the relief efforts.
"The president shows up ... with an awful lot of personnel, with an awful lot of vehicles, and it can get in the way," Biden said. He said he would show up if it was "value added."
"Our citizens are badly, badly hurt and they're scared to death right now."
President Biden spoke with the governors of six states devastated by tornadoes and extreme weather Friday night.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee voiced their needs and concerns to Biden as the president expressed condolences for the losses suffered in each state.
Biden affirmed his commitment to deliver assistance and release federal relief funds to bolster efforts to clean up in the aftermath of the destruction. He asked the governors to call him directly for any additional needs.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, as well as Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, joined the call.
The Salvation Army has activated its Emergency Disaster Services personnel to assist with relief efforts in six states devastated by tornadoes Friday night.
“In the aftermath of sudden and extreme natural disasters such as these, The Salvation Army is able to respond quickly to the most affected communities,” said Jeff Jellets, Emergency Disaster Services Director for The Salvation Army’s USA Southern Territory. “Those who experience such sudden tragedy are faced with extreme physical and emotional challenges.”
“We are dedicated to providing essential services such as food, water, shelter, and emotional and spiritual care for survivors and first responders for as long as we are needed.”
The organization has started to prepare mobile food units, which can serve between 500 and 1,500 meals per day, and establish incident command centers in affected areas.
Wind and thunderstorms are forecast to continue for parts of America's heartland already impacted by severe weather on Friday and Saturday.
On Saturday morning, NWS Louisville issued special weather statements for Lexington, Georgetown, Richmond, Elizabethtown, Frankfort and Shelbyville – warning of wind threats.
The NWS said that showers and some severe thunderstorms would develop ahead of the cold front from the Ohio Valley to the lower Mississippi Valley and that its Storm Prediction Center had issued a Slight Risk of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and Southeast through Sunday morning.
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Heavy damage is seen downtown after a tornado swept through the area on December 11, 2021 in Mayfield, Kentucky. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
A 7 p.m. curfew for the city and county of Mayfield will go into effect starting tonight. The curfew will last “from dusk til dawn.”
The curfew affects any parts of the county that have been directly impacted by the storm.
The Mayfield fire department will commence 12 hour shifts as police begin 24 hour patrol.
Gov. Beshear told reporters he received assurances from the Secretary of Homeland Security that Biden will approve a federal disaster declaration for Kentucky.
The approval will reimburse the state for funds spent on the disaster response and will release additional funds to the state.
Beshear said the declaration should receive approval within an hour or so.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Gov. Andy Beshear told reporters that the tornado system that traveled around 227 miles through Kentucky is the most devastating in state history.
Beshear said that he is the number of lives lost will end up "north of 70," and may in fact exceed 100 by the end of the day.
"Everywhere along this line of this tornado where it touched down ... has been severely and significantly impacted," Beshear said.
President Biden was briefed on the tornadoes that swept across the central U.S. overnight and pledged to work with the impacted states' governors and provide federal assistance as needed.
The president's statement comes just hours after Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear warned of "significant loss of life" and declared a state of emergency declaration. He also wrote a letter to Biden Saturday morning requesting federal assistance.
In addition, Beshear said the death toll could reach between 70 and 100 dead, across five or more counties.
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Biden extended his condolences to those who lost a loved one in the storm last night after he spoke with officials and governors to assess the situation.
“We’re working with governors to ensure they have what they need as the search for survivors and damage assessments continue,” Biden tweeted.
Both Biden and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said they are “heartbroken by the devastation.”
“To lose a loved one in a storm like this is an unimaginable tragedy,” Biden said.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, has sent a letter to President Biden urging him to approve Gov. Beshear’s request for federal assistance.
“The Governor of the Commonwealth has requested federal assistance this morning, and certainly further requests will be coming as the situation is assessed,” Paul wrote. “I fully support those requests and ask that you move expeditiously to approve the appropriate resources for our state.”
Paul also released a statement in which he offered condolences for those who lost a loved one due to the tornadoes.
“As daylight comes and we begin to fully understand the severity of the devastation, we mourn and we pray,” he wrote.
More than 200,000 customers remain without power in Tennessee and Kentucky on Saturday morning after deadly tornadoes tore through the region overnight.
137,599 outages were reported in Tennessee and 71,982 customers experienced outages in Kentucky, according to PowerOutage.US.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/deadly-tornadoes-tennessee-kentucky-power-outages
First responders work outside an Amazon fulfillment center after it was heavily damaged when a strong thunderstorm moved through the area Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, in Edwardsville, Ill. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Tornadoes and severe storms swept across several states Friday night, leaving in their wake multiple deaths, numerous injuries and severe structural damage.
Affected states included Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, where the governor said it's likely that more than 50 people are dead.
Major incidents included heavy damage to an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, where two people are confirmed dead and dozens of workers were reportedly trapped inside the building, and the destruction of a nursing home in Arkansas, where at least two people were killed and five were hurt, according to reports.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/arkansas-tornado-damage-monette-manor-nursing-home-tennessee-illinois
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