Severe storms wreak havoc in several US states, killing at least five people. Kentucky’s governor fears the death toll could rise to more than 50.
Several people were killed in severe storms in the United States. the Washington Post reported at least three deaths in Tennessee. According to a report by the German press agency, a tornado in the US state of Arkansas claimed at least two lives. According to the TV broadcaster CNN, at least 24 tornadoes raged in five US states. Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas were affected.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear expects the death toll to continue to rise. He said in an interview with local television station WLKY early Saturday morning that there are “likely” at least 50 deaths, “if not significantly more”. Beshear said, “The reports are really heartbreaking”. The biggest challenge now is to determine whether the storm will continue.
According to media reports, a huge storm hit the towns of Monette and Trumann in Arkansas and damaged a number of buildings, including two nursing homes. Two people are said to have died in the home in Monette and another five people were injured. Helpers took 20 people out of the building.
In the US state of Illinois, the tornado partially collapsed the roof of a distribution center operated by the online retailer Amazon. At the time of the accident on Friday evening (local time) in Edwardsville near the city of St. Louis, an unknown number of people were in the building, the local police chief, Mike Fillback, told journalists. Rescue workers could have saved some of those trapped in the building. However, it is unclear how many persisted inside.
According to weather radar, the tornado swept through the four states for over three hours and towered up to 9,100 meters. This would make the tornado the longest-running in US history and the first to move through five states.
Further details were initially not known. A precise overview of damage and possible victims is difficult because the situation is currently confusing.