KENTUCKY — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said tornadoes in the state killed at least 70 people, and he fears the final death toll will exceed100.

“This has been the most devastating tornado event in our state’s history,” Beshear said at a news conference Saturday morning.

Severe storms moved through the area Friday night and caused catastrophic damage. Beshear said one tornado stayed on the ground for 227 miles.

Photos and videos from the southwestern Kentucky community of Mayfield show leveled homes, mangled vehicles, uprooted trees and a courthouse steeple sheered off.

Beshear said a collapse at a candle factory in Mayfield has resulted in "mass casualties."

The National Guard is responding to the region to help with rescue and recovery efforts.

The Graves County Emergency Management Office told WPSD that Mayfield High School is opening up a shelter for people affected by the storm. Residents who can safely walk there are also being told they can go to Fire Station 1 on East Broadway Street.

Saturday morning, President Joe Biden said he was briefed on the storms.

"To lose a loved one in a storm like this is an unimaginable tragedy," he said in a tweet. "We’re working with governors to ensure they have what they need as the search for survivors and damage assessments continue."

In addition to the deaths in Mayfield, authorities in the Bowling Green area say 11 people were killed when a tornado roared through town.

Western Kentucky University called off commencement ceremonies that were planned for Saturday because the campus was without power.

Kentucky was one of several states that were hit by tornadoes and severe weather Friday and early Saturday morning. CNN reports that nearly 100 people are dead across five states.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear said upwards of 70 people have likely been killed and fatalities are likely to rise after four tornadoes struck multiple counties in the western part of the state.

During a 4 p.m. press conference on Saturday, Beshear said as crews continue to work to rescue victims of the tornadoes, he still expects there will be more than 100 people determined dead.

"The devastation is unlike anything I have seen in my life and I have trouble putting it into words," said Beshear.

Beshear said a candle factory was hit by a tornado in Mayfield, Ky., causing a roof collapse and numerous fatalities. The governor estimated that around 110 people were inside the factory when the tornado hit the area.

So far, 40 people have been rescued from the facility alive, but Beshear said he believes it will be a miracle if, by Saturday evening, anyone else is found alive in the debris. The facility is covered in roughly 15 feet of collapsed metal, he said, and barrels of corrosive chemicals were also stored on the site.

The tornado — which originated in Arkansas — was on the ground for 227 miles in the state of Kentucky. Beshear said the storm was the longest tornado track on record and the largest in Kentucky's history.

"This was four different tornadoes, and I'm told we're actually going to see a little bit more on that, that hit us, including one that touched down in Arkansas and then stayed on the ground for 227 straight miles, which we believe is likely the longest in U.S. history," said Beshear. "Folks, 200 of those miles were in Kentucky. We're ground zero and I know this community is hit. It's been hit really hard."

The storms also swept through Bowling Green, Ky., damaging homes and causing the death of a Western Kentucky University student who lived off-campus. The school canceled commencement ceremonies, initially planned for Saturday, as the was campus also without power.

Watch: Beshear's evening address on damage in Bowling Green

Beshear declared a state of emergency in Kentucky and submitted a request to President Joe Biden for an immediate federal emergency declaration, which was quickly approved. Federal declaration allows the state access to additional resources and funding for cleanup and recovery efforts.

"I've talked today directly to the President twice, the head of Homeland Security, the secretary as well as the director of FEMA, who is going to be in Kentucky tomorrow," said Beshear. "They have all pledged whatever we need and I plan to ask."

The Kentucky state of emergency allowed Beshear to activate over 180 members of the National Guard and the Kentucky State Police, in addition to utilizing armories as shelters for Kentuckians in need.

Watch: Beshear's address on storm damage from Saturday morning

Michael Dossett, of Kentucky Emergency Management, said the night's storms could surpass the 1974 super outbreak as the deadliest tornado event in the history of the state.

"It appears this was a quad-state event, emerging from the same system that originated in Arkansas," Dossett said.

Dossett said the tornado that hit multiple counties in Kentucky path may break the record of the 1925 Tri-State tornado.

Beshear urged Kentuckians who are in hard-hit regions, if they are safe and have power, to stay off the roads so first responders can move freely to respond to emergencies. He also encouraged residents to donate blood; the state has seen a shortage of supply through the COVID-19 pandemic and Beshear said he anticipates the donations will be needed for those who are injured.

For those searching for a way to help victims of the tornadoes, Beshear has set up a single fund to which anyone in the country can donate. Funds in the account are solely intended to be used to help on-the-ground efforts to help families hardest hit by the storms.

MADISON, Wis. —

University of Wisconsin basketball senior Chris Vogt went to bed early Friday night to prepare for the team's game in Columbus, Ohio.

He woke up to heartbreak.

"I woke up Saturday morning to a text from a former coach... and all it said was 'Are your parents okay?' And I had no idea what he was talking about," said Vogt.

He told sister station WISN his first thought was that his parents were in a car accident on their way to Ohio from Mayfield, Kentucky, his hometown.

“My heart was kind of racing, I started to look for stuff that possibly could have happened and that’s when I started seeing the news about the tornado," he explained. "And I see all the pictures, all the videos and I was kind of just in awe.”

Mayfield was in shambles following devastating, deadly tornadoes that ripped through parts of the Midwest and the southeastern U.S.

His parents are OK and were already in Ohio when the storms back at home hit.

Vogt said his small town of about 10,000 people is close-knit.

“It’s just kind of like a classic small town. I loved growing up there," he said. “It was heartbreaking... Being able to pick out landmarks and stuff in the video and knowing how they should look, and seeing them completely dismembered is really tough to see.”

Vogt texted everyone he could to check in before taking the court.

He put up seven points against the Buckeyes to help his team. After the game, though, he knew he needed to help his hometown.

He set up a GoFundMe account to raise funds for relief efforts.

"Just kind of reading through the comments on each and every donation there's been a lot of 'go Badgers' or 'I love this team, keep up the good work' and so it just means a lot knowing the fanbase has our back," he said.

Vogt plans to split the donations between several recovery efforts including the American Red Cross and Mayfield High School resource offices.

You can also help the relief efforts by donating here.

MAYFIELD, Ky. —

Jarred Holmes was supposed to have been working inside a candle factory when it was ripped apart by a monstrous tornado that killed an untold number of employees and trapped many others under mounds of debris.

But Holmes' fiancee had insisted he stay home Friday night because of the looming weather.

"She told me she had a bad feeling," Holmes, 20, said Saturday outside the factory, where he awaited word on his coworkers. "I was going to go to work, but she basically demanded me to stay home."

Kentucky residents affected by the twister grappled with its force and destruction and shared harrowing stories of survival even as some rushed out to help with rescue efforts. Gov. Andy Beshear said upwards of 70 people may have died when the tornado touched down for more than 200 miles in his state, but the number of deaths could exceed 100 across 10 or more counties.

Vernon Evans sifted through debris at one of the many residential houses that were torn to bits near Mayfield's downtown center. Earlier Saturday, he said he helped firefighters evacuate people from under a brick wall that collapsed at a nursing home. He recalled finding one resident dead and lying facedown in 3 inches of water.

"All I could do is sit there and hold their head up," he said. "I never experienced nothing like this."

In Mayfield, heaps of debris from destroyed buildings and shredded trees covered the ground. Twisted metal sheeting, downed power lines and wrecked vehicles lined the streets. Windows and roofs were blown off the buildings that were still standing.

Bob Waldridge, pastor of Yahweh Baptist Church, loaded chairs, pews and sound equipment from the damaged 100-year-old church building into a trailer. He arrived at the church to find water everywhere.

"The wind came through, and everything that was in the foyer ended up in the back of the church," he said. "And it blew the back wall of the church out, and it took the roof off the church."

He said church members intend to have a prayer service Sunday, and several other local churches had reached out to offer their space. One family that attends church was in their home when it was leveled by the storm, and two members of that family were flown by helicopter to a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, he said.

"It's just a building, but I'm more worried about the people. There are a lot of folks that are hurt right now," he said.

Here's how you can help the victims of the tornadoes

Graves County Circuit Judge Kevin Bishop, who lives just outside Mayfield, said his family rode out the storm in a bathroom.

"We hunkered down with as many pillows and blankets over everybody's heads and prayed," he said.

His home suffered minor damage, but the storm tore off the roof of the courthouse where he works. He said it will take a while for Mayfield to recover.

"We're strong, we'll work together, but it's going to be a long time," he said.

Courtney Saxton, 38, and five of her children got into a bathtub to try to stay safe when the twister struck. When she emerged, the roof of her Mayfield home was gone. Saxton's family sought shelter Saturday night at the St. Jerome Parish Hall in nearby Fancy Farm.

Her kids, ranging in age from 3 to 13, were adjusting to their new surroundings. A TV played kids' movies and a table was arrayed with coloring books, crayons and games. The children were not injured, but she recalled their terror.

"They were scared, screaming, crying," she said. "It was awful. I was trying to calm them down, but the whole time I'm praying. I knew that God would see us through."

Her husband, Mark, was working at the candle factory and got trapped under debris for hours before he was rescued. He had cuts and scrapes but was otherwise OK.

"He was calling us hollering and screaming and crying because he was stuck," she said. "It was scary for me because I'm thinking, 'Oh my God, is he going to make it? So I prayed with him over the phone, too. I just kept talking to him, kept telling him that God will work it out, be strong, don't give up, keep fighting."

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and through the very moment that we are standing here, we have lived through some of the toughest hours of our lives as Kentucky ins. This event is the worst, most devastating, most deadly tornado event in Kentucky's history. I believe that by the end of today for tomorrow um We will be north of at least 70 lives lost here in Kentucky. I think we will have lost more than 100 people and I think it could rise significantly in those numbers. About 1:00 AM. I was at the state Emergency Operations Center hearing the reports coming in live places like my parents hometown, Dawson Springs, which I just came from and how hard it was hit hearing about families trapped in a basement and actually thinking they're lucky as long as we can get to them based on what happened from so many other families. Hearing about the amazing efforts of our first responders so many in this room. We thank you every day. But we, we have absolutely thank you today. Um thank you so much for what you've done for our people over these last hours. I know you haven't slept, I know what that feels like. I know the efforts that you've put in and I know when you were out there, especially in the first part of it was incredibly dangerous uh to you, we have seen people come together from all over the state, all over the country. Federal partners like a T. F. We had the Coast Guard down in Mayfield and then we are seeing people come in from other states and other regions. I just want everybody to know that you are not alone today, Kentucky is absolutely united. We are united with our people. We are united to find and rescue as many as possible. We are united to grieve with I think over 100 families that will have lost individuals and we are united to be here for those families and this and every other impacted community not just today and this week, but in the coming years so that we rebuild and get those families back on their feet. The devastation is unlike anything I have seen in my life and and I have trouble putting it into words but it was safe to travel this morning. I flew to Mayfield. My first stop was that candle factory, 110 people working in it at the time. The storm hit rescue 40 There's at least 15 ft of metal with cars on top of it, barrels of corrosive chemicals that are there. It'll be a miracle if anybody else has found alive in it. A downtown completely devastated from there. Um, My dad's hometown of Dawson Springs Population 20 700. They're going to lose a whole lot of people. One block from my grandparents house, there's no house standing, there's no house standing and we don't know where all those people are. This was four different tornadoes and I'm told we're actually gonna see a little bit more on that that hit us including one that touched down in Arkansas and then stayed on the ground for 227 straight miles, which we believe is likely the longest in U. S. History folks. 200 of those miles. We're in Kentucky, We're ground zero and I know this community is hit has been hit really hard. We're with you, the whole state is with you. It's about just before midnight last night that we um signed, I signed a state of emergency that allowed us to call up the National Guard. Now, hundreds deploying all over Kentucky to help to help going door to door see if we can find people uh to help clearing the roadways and yes to help in law enforcement in some towns that are going to have any power. Uh tonight we've been able to get our transportation cabinet with all of our heavy trucks out on the roads clearing them off because it's hard to reach people in need. When the roads are unpassable. Our division of Forestry is out there helping with that as well. Finding any and everything we can do, including bringing some of the largest generators we've ever seen to some of these communities where they can power a school hospital, where it is needed. Uh Since our last stop, there are two new announcements at this point in the day. First, the president has signed the Federal emergency disaster declaration for those who do this work that rarely happens in the midst of a disaster. It shows how bad it is. It opens up us up to significantly more resources and things like almost immediate reimbursement for a lot of the things we're doing which is going to help our cities and our county's uh to to really do even more. I've talked today directly to the president twice the uh huh head of Homeland Security, the secretary and as well as the director of fema who is going to be in Kentucky tomorrow, they have all pledged whatever we need and I plan to ask so make sure you communicate those needs to us and we'll either satisfy them or we will go out and get them. It's getting close tonight. It's getting cold. It's gonna be a tough night for a lot of people across Kentucky. The second new announcement is people have been asking all day how can we help? And we've been telling them to things with the third coming. The first we said is if you are in a community that has been hit and hit hard and you're safe and you have powers stay off the roads. Let our first responders like the ones that we have here get to everybody don't go to some of these areas because you want to see it. We need to make sure that those who do this work that are so good at it can do it at the fastest possible speed. 2nd, Let's give blood. We're already pretty short with Covid out there and have been pushing. We're going to have, we have a lot of deaths were also going to have a lot of of injuries. But the third is, we have now been able to set up a single fund connected with the state that people who want to help in Kentucky or outside of it can give to that is solely dedicated to helping the on the ground efforts going on right now and the relief efforts that these families are going to need to rebuild that as a team Western Kentucky tornado relief fund. It is now live at team W Ky relief fund dot ky dot gov. I'll do it again. Team W ky relief fund dot ky dot gov. We've been, we've been hearing from folks again all around the country. I've heard from some folks outside the country that run great companies inside of Kentucky, they are mourning for this and other communities with that. We're gonna have a number of folks give us updates on where we are right now. I think we're first turning it over to the mayor to talk about specifically what we're seeing here. Um, let me say, I know, I know that lives lost are gonna be in double digits. They're going to be and multiple counties. I know Mulan bark. I know Hopkins um, here certainly graves, we believe in marshall. Um, it's tough but also your folks have done incredible work on top of it since the very beginning, and I'm really proud of the response here in Warren County.

Biden signs federal emergency declaration for Kentucky in wake of deadly tornado outbreak

Updated: 5:43 PM EST Dec 11, 2021

President Joe Biden has signed a federal emergency disaster declaration for Kentucky in response to the deadly tornado outbreak, Gov. Andy Beshear announced during a news conference on Saturday.The president declared that an emergency exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and ordered federal assistance to recovery efforts following severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes since Friday. At least 70 people are feared dead in Kentucky after tornadoes and severe weather tore through multiple states and caused catastrophic damage. According to a news release from the White House, this action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and providing appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Breckenridge, Bullitt, Caldwell, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hickman, Hopkins, Lyon, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Shelby, Spencer, and Warren.Officials said that FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% federal funding.

President Joe Biden has signed a federal emergency disaster declaration for Kentucky in response to the deadly tornado outbreak, Gov. Andy Beshear announced during a news conference on Saturday.

The president declared that an emergency exists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and ordered federal assistance to recovery efforts following severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes since Friday.

At least 70 people are feared dead in Kentucky after tornadoes and severe weather tore through multiple states and caused catastrophic damage.

According to a news release from the White House, this action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and providing appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Breckenridge, Bullitt, Caldwell, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hickman, Hopkins, Lyon, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Shelby, Spencer, and Warren.

Officials said that FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% federal funding.