Intense Tornadoes Ravage Missouri, Kentucky

(MENAFN) At least 21 individuals lost their lives after intense tornadoes swept through Missouri and Kentucky, causing extensive destruction, prompting emergency declarations, and disrupting electricity for hundreds of thousands throughout the central U.S.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed on Saturday that 14 residents had perished in the storm.

He cautioned that the number could climb as search and rescue efforts continued. “This is another tough morning for Kentucky after a night of deadly weather,” Beshear stated on X, emphasizing that the state remained in an urgent rescue stage, with over 100,000 people left without power.

Beshear had already issued a state of emergency prior to the storm’s arrival and mentioned plans to travel to London, Kentucky, to examine the aftermath. Emergency declarations were also made in five counties across the state.

The National Weather Service referred to one tornado that touched down shortly after midnight on Friday as “extremely dangerous.”

In Missouri, the violent storms claimed seven lives, with five victims from the St. Louis vicinity and two more in Scott County in the southeastern region, as reported by a news agency.

Power outages affected more than 700,000 residences and businesses across 12 states, with Missouri and Kentucky experiencing the most significant disruptions, according to a media outlet, which cited data from PowerOutage.us.

The dangerous weather front also led to tornado reports in both Illinois and Indiana as it advanced across the central United States.

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