Help Those Affected by Friday’s Tornado Outbreak in the Midwest and South

Tornadoes in December are not that unusual in parts of the country under the right weather conditions. However, several, catastrophic tornadoes across multiple states is a rarity this time of the year.

The storm that brought snow to the Tri-States on Friday was the same system responsible for the severe weather and tornado outbreak across parts of the Midwest and South.

One rotating thunderstorm responsible for the catastrophic damage in Mayfield, KY and Dawson Springs, KY likely dropped one or multiple tornadoes for over 250 miles through four states. That is incredible and extremely rare. Previously, the longest a tornado had travelled along the ground in the U.S. was 219 miles in March 1925 that claimed 695 lives and is known as the Tri-State Tornado.

The storm of this latest severe weather event tracked more than 250 miles through several states (including Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky). One or more deadly tornadoes were spawned, with major structural damage noted.#arwx pic.twitter.com/tUA2XlWADz

— NWS Little Rock (@NWSLittleRock) December 11, 2021

Storm surveys of the damage will be conducted and take several days to complete which will then give the tornadoes their rating based on the EF-Scale.

Kentucky was the hardest hit with the death toll continuing to climb. According to CNN, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said that, as of Monday morning, the confirmed number of fatalities in the state stands at 64. He said that “undoubtedly there will be more” deaths confirmed from the storms. He said he believed the death number will “certainly be above 70, maybe even 80.” 

Eight deaths were confirmed at a candle factory in Mayfield, KY which took a direct hit. There was believed to be 110 employees inside at the time, which 94 have been accounted for according to Mayfield Consumer Products, LLC. The company is also reporting eight fatalities and eight still missing.

Meanwhile, an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois also took a direct hit from a tornado. Six fatalities have been confirmed with more still missing according to Reuters.

FEMA has also stood up 52 generators and provided 30,000 meals, 45,000 liters of water, cots, blankets, infant toddler kits and medical equipment and supplies as part of their efforts, the agency said. In Kentucky, there are 300 National Guard assisting with hundreds of state employees working to clear roads after hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed across 18 counties, the governor said.  

If you’d like to help, you can donate $10 to the American Red Cross simply by texting REDCROSS to the number 90999. A GoFundMe page has also been launched to help those in need after the tornadoes. Also, the organization CARE is providing water, food and shelter to those affected too.

Cover photo: AP Photo/Michael Clubb