At least 50 dead after tornadoes strike Kentucky and other states

Tornadoes struck several Southern and Midwestern states Friday night. At least 50 people are confirmed dead in Kentucky alone, and that number is almost certain to rise as more bodies are discovered, FOX Weather reports.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) has declared a state of emergency and called in the National Guard after what he referred to as "one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history."

The tornadoes ripped a continuous path of destruction through over 200 miles of western Kentucky. The town of Mayfield — which had been home to over 10,000 people — has been almost completely destroyed.

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Tornadoes also touched down in Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee, The New York Times reported. According to PowerOutage.us, the total number of houses across all five states that are without power exceeds 250,000.

The roof of an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Ill., collapsed, trapping workers inside. Around 40 warehouse employees have been hospitalized. Tornadoes also damaged an Arkansas nursing home, killing at least one person. At least three people have been confirmed dead in Tennessee.

Tornadoes, storms, and severe wind gusts are expected to continue to afflict the region throughout Saturday. Beshear has said he will visit western Kentucky as soon as it is safe for him to travel.