People take on tornado damage after severe weather hits the area on December 12, 2021, in Mayfield, Kentucky.
Brendan Smialowski | AFP | beautiful pictures
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Governor Andy Beshear said Monday that more than 70 people have been confirmed dead in the state and that he still does not know the cost assessments for the damage after a tornado swept through Kentucky over the weekend.
“I haven’t estimated the damage yet, but it’s at least hundreds of millions of dollars,” Beshear told CNBC in an update on Monday’s storm.
“Again, whatever the cost. I know our federal partners are there with us. We’re not going to depend on the state’s costs,” he said.
U.S. President Joe Biden participates in a news conference on disaster recovery efforts that took place after tornadoes hit several U.S. states in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on December 13 year 2021.
Nicholas Kamm | AFP | beautiful pictures
On Sunday, President Joe Biden announced a major federal disaster in Kentucky, paving the way for federal aid. The president is scheduled to visit Kentucky on Wednesday.
Beshear also said leaders from many corporations, including Amazon Andy Jassy’s CEO reached out to him throughout the weekend to ask about how to contribute. A tornado hit Amazon’s distribution center in Edwardsville, Illinois, about 200 miles north of some of the hardest-hit areas of Kentucky, killing six people. Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an investigation into the collapse and death of workers.
In a statement, Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said, “OSHA investigates all workplace deaths and we are supporting them.” Jassy tweeted before that the company is providing support in Illinois.
Late Friday night at least 30 tornadoes leaving a trail of destruction across many states, making it difficult for Kentucky to be. A twist has ripped through four states creating a trail of at least 200 miles, which would rank it among the longest tornadoes in US history.
Kentucky officials described the storm as “the largest and most destructive in the history of Kentucky” and will take years to rebuild communities.
Mike Castle hugs his daughter at Nikki Castle after finding a father-daughter necklace intended for Nikki for Christmas, following a tornado in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, U.S. December 11, 2021 .
Minh Connors | USAToday Network | via Reuters
As of Monday morning, Beshear, a Democrat, said there had been 74 confirmed deaths in Kentucky and added that 109 were still unaccounted for. About 300 National Guardsmen are assisting in rescue and debris removal operations.
More than 28,500 homes in Kentucky are still without electricity.
“I didn’t play well today and I’m not sure how many of us there are,” Beshear said. “We’re going to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and we’re going to get through this.”
