Rescuers resumed the search for survivors in the United States this Sunday (12), after a series of tornadoes hit at least six states, leaving more than 90 dead and a trail of buildings reduced to rubble.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the scale of the damage made the rescue operation a challenge in his state, where 80 deaths were reported — a number that is expected to rise. “Some cities no longer exist,” Beshear told CNN. “My father’s hometown, Paxton, is not standing. It’s hard to describe.”
“Do you think you can go door to door to check that people are ok? There are no doors. The question is, is there anyone in the rubble of thousands and thousands of structures? It’s devastating,” the governor declared.
Beshear said it is not possible to have an accurate estimate of the number of people missing in Kentucky. In Dawson Springs, for example, a city of 2,700 people, Beshear says the list of names of people who have not been found fills eight pages.
The tornadoes swept through several states, including Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky — where Mayfield is located, one of the spots hardest hit by the storm cluster.
According to a report by The New York Times, the town of almost 10,000 inhabitants, which is in western Kentucky, is in a state of shock. Churches and the courthouse were reduced to rubble, and even a structure like a building in which dealership trucks were parked disappeared—as did vehicles.
Police and fire stations were also affected by the tornadoes, which hit the United States between late Friday (10) and early Saturday (11), making it difficult for emergency teams to respond.
First responders operated cranes and excavators at the site of a storm-stricken Mayfield candle factory while operating at night to meet the demand of the Christmas season.
The building turned into a tangle of metal, twisted beams and concrete — the only evidence of its existence, according to the New York Times, was the vanilla and lavender scents used in making the candles.
The family-owned candle factory created an emergency fund to help families. According to Governor Andy Beshear, about 40 of the 110 workers were rescued. During an interview, Beshear said it would be a “miracle” to find someone alive there.
On Saturday, residents combed through rubble from their homes for belongings until nightfall, when Mayfield, who was without electricity and gas supplies, was left in the dark.
Timothy McDill, 48, a refrigeration technician, spent Saturday night without water or electricity in his home.
A telephone pole fell on top of the residence, leaving the rooms exposed — he and his family survived by sheltering in the basement.
The building where Steve Wright, 61, also a Mayfield resident, lives, did not suffer major damage, but on Sunday morning he ran into trouble finding a way to refuel his car.
After the storm had passed, Wright roamed the city with a flashlight in search of people in need of help. He ended up helping a father pull the body of his 3-year-old son from the rubble. “I prayed for them both, that’s all I could do,” he said.
In other parts of Kentucky, as well as in the states of Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee and Arkansas, similar scenes of destruction were recorded, with buildings devastated, metal infrastructure twisted, vehicles overturned, fallen trees and bricks strewn across the streets.
Another particularly affected location was an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, where at least six people died. About 45 people managed to leave the site, but the company is not sure how many employees were at the facility at the time. Rescuers continue their search tasks this Sunday.
“The news about Edwardsville is tragic. We are heartbroken at the loss of our colleagues. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones,” said Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
The origin of the series of tornadoes came from a set of thunderstorms formed at night, including a supercell. This storm moved from Arkansas and Missouri to Tennessee and Kentucky. Experts say tornadoes could be part of a climate system that is wreaking havoc in other parts of the country as well.
US President Joe Biden told reporters he would ask the Environmental Protection Agency to look into the relationship between tornadoes and global climate change. Biden also said his administration will do “all it can to help” states affected by the storms.
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