LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky’s death toll from at least five tornadoes that ravaged the state Friday night and early Saturday morning rose to 74 on Monday afternoon.
Beshear said he expects the death toll in the state to increase, possibly above 80. Statewide, at least 109 people remain unaccounted for, Beshear said.
President Joe Biden, who declared the storm a major disaster, plans to visit the tornado-ravaged state Wednesday. Biden said he will travel to Fort Campbell for a storm briefing, and to Mayfield and Dawson Springs to survey storm damage.
One of the five tornadoes left a path of destruction more than 200 miles long. In all, more than 1,000 homes are believed to be destroyed or heavily damaged, Beshear said. “It may be weeks before we have a final count on deaths and levels of destruction” because of the amount of rubble and debris, he said.
The heaviest toll was paid in Graves County, where 21 deaths have been confirmed.
Beshear said Mayfield Consumer Products LLC reports that eight of 110 people working at the factory Friday night died when the building collapsed and another eight remain missing.
Other counties with storm-related deaths include: Hopkins County, 17; Warren County, 15; Muhlenberg County, 11; Caldwell County, 4; Marshall County, 1; Taylor County, 1; Fulton County, 1; Lyon County, 1; Franklin County, 1.
Beshear, with his voice cracking, said victims ranged from 5 months old to 86 years old. Of the 74 confirmed deaths, five have not yet been identified.
He did not have a county-by-county breakdown of people unaccounted for but stressed that figure is fluid.
Kentucky State Police in the Graves County area are asking family members who are missing loved ones to report to the office building of His House Ministries to provide information for identification purposes, Beshear said. It is located at 1250 KY 303 in Mayfield. Anyone who needs assistance in getting there can call (888) 880-8620.
State police are using rapid DNA testing to help identify the dead, Beshear said.
At least 18 counties suffered damage, he said.
About 448 members of the Kentucky National Guard are assisting rescue and recovery efforts. Employees with the Transportation Cabinet and Division of Forestry are clearing debris from roads.
Beshear said many of the homeless are staying in state parks in the affected areas for at least two weeks. Volunteers who want to help at the parks with duties such as washing dishes and clothes should contact assistant state resort parks director Andy Kasitz at (502) 418-3581 or andy.kasitz@ky.gov.
“We are not going to let any of our folks go homeless,” Beshear said.
The special state fund Beshear set up this weekend to help storm victims — Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund — has raised more than $6 million from 44,358 donations. He said no administrative fees would be taken from the donations, which have come from many sources, including Amazon and the Back Street Boys.
The first expenditure from the fund will provide $5,000 for burial expenses to each family that has lost a loved one. Beshear said he urges funeral homes to not charge the families more than $5,000.
“We have to be able to grieve together, and no one is going to have to apply,” Beshear said. “We are going to work with our vital statistics group from everyone who has been identified and we are going to reach out and contact those families directly.”
Kentucky first lady Britainy Beshear announced another fund — Western Kentucky Toy Drive — to provide Christmas toys for children from infants to teens harmed by the storms.
Starting Tuesday morning thorough Saturday, Dec. 18, new unwrapped toys, games, books or technology in their original packing can be delivered to various locations across the state. Donations of $25 VISA or MasterCard gift cards will be accepted.
For drop-off locations and more information, visit firstlady.ky.gov/toydrive. She asked that gifts not be wrapped and said the fund is not seeking clothing.
The governor also noted that many livestock have been killed throughout Western Kentucky and have to be removed. He said his office has formed an agricultural working group to assist farm operations.
In Mayfield, Beshear said, the office of the state Department of Community Based Services has been damaged and is unable to serve the public at this time. A mobile unit is being sent to the area. People who need the department’s services can call (855) 306-8959.
Michael Dossett, director of Kentucky Emergency Management, said as of late Monday morning there were 28,531 power outages in the state, About 95% of power lines have been assessed but 29 transmission lines that feed from power plants are still in disrepair.
Dossett said 8,000 power poles are down, and help to fix them is coming from other states.
He also said about 17,000 customers are under boil water advisories and cautioned that the entire power structure of Western Kentucky may take years to restore.
Meanwhile, Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray has signed an official order temporarily suspending certain restrictions on motor carriers engaged in restoring power, clearing debris and delivering fuel to areas stricken by tornadoes and other severe weather.
The order is effective through 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on Jan. 14, 2022, and may be extended, if needed. It temporarily relieves commercial drivers from maximum driving times and weigh station stops if providing response to affected areas.
Beshear also has ordered flags on state buildings to be flown at half-staff from sunrise Tuesday to sunset next Monday, Dec. 20, to memorialize the victims. He asked businesses and other states to join Kentucky in this memorial.
The Democratic governor, who was on the verge of tears several times during the news conference, said he was “not doing so well today and I’m not sure how many of us are.” He said he was working on getting the confirmed number of dead Monday morning and realized he was writing on the back of one of his children’s school papers about inertia. That is the property of matter by which it remains at rest or in motion in the same straight line unless acted upon by some external force.
“We are going to keep putting one foot in front of the other and push through this,” he said.
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