Washington, USA – A powerful storm system unleashed a series of deadly tornadoes across central U.S. states, killing at least 21 people and leaving widespread destruction in its wake, officials said Saturday.
The violent weather swept from the Midwest and Great Lakes down to the South, spawning tornadoes in Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana.
Kentucky was among the hardest-hit states, where Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency and confirmed at least 14 fatalities.
“We’re starting today with the tough news that we lost at least 14 of our people to last night’s storms, but sadly, this number is expected to grow as we receive more information,” Beshear wrote on X. “Please pray for all of our affected families.”
He added, “The devastation from last night’s deadly weather is heartbreaking, but we are going to make sure we get the support needed to recover and rebuild together.”
In Missouri, at least seven people were killed when a powerful tornado struck the St. Louis area.
“The loss of life and destruction St. Louis has experienced in today’s storm is horrendous, and my thoughts are with everyone whose lives were altered today,” said St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer. “Please stay home tonight and allow our first responders to do their work.”
The storm system caused widespread damage to infrastructure, downed power lines, and knocked out electricity to more than 700,000 homes and businesses across at least a dozen states, according to tracking service PowerOutage.
Emergency crews continue to assess the damage as recovery efforts are underway in the affected regions.
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