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“Like a movie scene” – Reporter on the ground describes Kentucky tornadoes
A Kentucky-based reporter who’s been covering the devastation caused by recent tornado events has told ticker NEWS the havoc caused is “like a movie scene”
Speaking to ticker NEWS on Monday, Chad Hedrick, a reporter for CBS affiliate WKYT in Kentucky says the recent weather events have left hundreds without a home, multiple dead and described the feeling on the ground as a ‘movie scene.’
Up to 100 people have been killed in a devastating series of tornadoes that ripped through Kentucky and several other US states.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says more than 56,000 Kentuckians have been left without power adding he had declared a state of emergency and was deploying dozens of national guardsmen to communities.
“Most destructive in the state’s history”
The state Governor said the string of tornadoes was the most destructive in the state’s history.
US National Weather Service said 36 separate tornadoes struck the Midwest of the country.
In Kentucky, they caused damage in more than a dozen counties.
The primary tornado travelled more than 320 kilometres across the state, Mr Beshear told an early morning news conference.
“The reports are really heartbreaking,” Mr Beshear said.
Search underway for survivors
A desperate search for survivors is now under way in parts of six US states devastated by the powerful tornadoes. So far, 94 people have been confirmed dead and dozens more people are missing and entire towns were destroyed by about 30 tornadoes on Friday.
United States President Joe Biden has declared a disaster in Kentucky which is the worst-affected state.
At least 80 people have died in the state, including dozens in a candle factory, and the death toll is expected to rise above 100.
Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman told the media that the death toll was continuing to rise “with every hour”.
“All of these numbers continue to unfold…,” she said.
“Our emergency response teams are still surveying the damage and knocking on doors and reaching out to folks trying to make contact to see who’s alive.”
Chad Hedrick meanwhile told ticker NEWS that the videos surfacing of the destruction zone ‘don’t do it justice’ when capturing the devastation caused.
Hedrick says homes are not just damaged, instead they “are effectively gone.”