Dozens Dead After 'Most Severe Tornado Event In Kentucky's History' | NPR

Dozens of people in the Midwest are believed to be dead after severe weather that caused multiple tornadoes struck late Friday night and early Saturday morning, tearing through several states including Kentucky, Illinois and Arkansas.

As of Saturday morning, at least 70 people have died in Kentucky alone, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said, and the death toll is expected to rise. President Biden called the destruction "devastating."

In Mayfield, Ky., a candle factory was hit, leading to multiple fatalities, Beshar said at a news conference earlier Saturday morning.

The devastation in the Mayfield area goes beyond the factory, and several surrounding counties are are pitching in with EMS help, as the main emergency services hub in the town itself was in the direct line of the storm, local officials said Saturday. The water tower was hit too, leaving the town without water.

Kentucky Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett said Friday night's tornado event may surpass the 1974 Super Outbreak as the deadliest in the state's history.

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