Tornadoes kill dozens of people in Kentucky, USA

A devastating series of tornadoes hit Kentucky and five other US states, killing dozens of people and leaving a trail of destroyed homes, factories and warehouses along a path that stretches more than 200 miles, local officials said. Saturday (11).

At least four tornadoes hit the ground overnight in Kentucky, causing significant damage in more than a dozen counties. The first tornado traveled more than 365 km across the state, according to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.

The death toll could exceed 50 people and reach 100, the governor said during a press conference earlier this morning.

"The reports are really moving," he said. "This was one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history and some areas were hit in ways that were hard to put into words."

Some of the worst destruction took place in Mayfield, a small town of about 10,000 in the far west of Kentucky, where the state converges with Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas.

About 110 people were inside a candle factory in the area when the tornado passed, knocking the roof down and causing many casualties, Beshear said.

Kyanna Parsons-Perez, who was inside the factory, said the roof collapsed shortly after workers could hear and feel the strong winds and the lighting began to waver.

"We could feel the wind. So we got together and made a little mound," Parsons-Perez told NBC. "And suddenly it all came crashing down on us."

Videos and photos posted on social media, but not yet authenticated by Reuters, show buildings in downtown Mayfield reduced to rubble, with cars almost completely buried.

According to photos posted on Twitter, the Graves County Courthouse in Mayfield had collapsed.

These tornadoes originated from a series of storms that occurred during the night, including a supercell that formed in northeastern Arkansas. This storm left Arkansas and Missouri and headed for the states of Tennessee and Kentucky.

Text translated using artificial intelligence.