The Midwest was hit hard by tornadoes on Friday. They killed one person at a nursing facility in Arkansas, and left another in Missouri. Also, workers were trapped inside an Amazon warehouse collapsed in Illinois. Mayfield in Kentucky was devastated. People who had been trapped within the debris of a candle factory pleaded for help.
In Missouri, one person was killed when buildings collided in the vicinity of Defiance.
In Arkansas, one person was killed in a nursing home in Monette, according to KARK.
According to Craighead County Judge Marvin Day, crews on the scene said that the Monette Nursing Home had collapsed partially. Five others were also injured, and up to 20 people were trapped.
Day stated that although initial reports indicated two bodies, within just two hours the structure was cleared. All those initially thought to be inside were now safe and secure.
Day stated that the building looked like it was almost completely destroyed.
As emergency crews rush to Edwardsville, the huge tornado can be seen in the sky as a dark shadow.
“It happens quickly but apparently it took a bit longer with the tornado sirens going off.”
He said that some residents had been found in basements and were ‘prepared for this’.
Melissa Moon (a reporter for WREG3) tweeted a photo showing the Monette Manor nursing facility in severe damage, along with what appeared like a mangled car bed.
On Friday night, it wasn’t known the speed of tornadoes and how many they were. CNN stated that the tornadoes pounded five states with 19 each.
According to some reports, the record for longest single tornado, 219 miles, could have been broken. The record had already crossed four states before it was set another record.
Observers suggested that tornadoes could have been as high as four to five feet on the Enhanced Fujita scale (EF).
EF4 tornadoes have winds speeds between 136 and 165mph. EF5 tornadoes produce wind speeds up to 200 mpg.
@WxAtlantic tweets: “This tornado is so powerful that it literally broke Radarscope Velocity,”
“The Delta velocity is so high, the couplet almost folded on itself.”
Southern Illinois Fire Incidents, located almost 300 miles north of Monette confirmed that there was a “mass casualty” at Edwardsville’s Amazon warehouse. They also stated that more than 20 emergency response units were on the scene.
‘About a third of the warehouse is torn down and damaged from either straight by line winds or tornado,’ tweeted Jenna Rae, with Illinois’s KMOV station.
A woman claimed she was talking to her family member in the warehouse when the storm struck.
Aisha White said that he spoke on the telephone with her while it happened to KMOV.
The tornado had struck the back of our building and trucks were approaching. He was told to duck by me.
“We watched as the building went up. Stuff was hitting the cars. He asked me if I was heading that way.
J.B. Pritzker, governor of Illinois, tweeted: ‘My prayers are with the people of Edwardsville tonight, and I’ve reached out to the mayor to provide any needed state resources.’
Richard Rocha is an Amazon spokesperson. He stated: “The safety of our partners and employees is our number one priority right now.
“We are currently assessing the situation, and we will share any additional information as soon as it becomes available.”
In Kentucky, Mayfield, home to over 10,000 residents was hit hard.
Large trees were felled and buildings were left without roofs. Glass in stores was broken, debris was scattered around the grounds.
Built in 1888, the courthouse was destroyed when the tower fell off and the roof collapsed.
People were trapped inside the factory’s wall when it collapsed.
Kyanna Lou broadcast a Facebook Live in the darkness, describing how she was hit by Hurricane Irene. A woman was bumbling behind Kyanna Lou and making muffled moans and shouts.
‘Please, y’all. We need your help. We can help you at Mayfield candle factory.
Please, help us. It is stuck to me. We can’t be reached, please. Please pray for us.
Her statement continued: “We were all in the safe refuge place. The whole building fell. The whole building fell. We’re stuck.
In Arkansas, Monette saw two deaths from a collapsed nursing home. Two of the victims were killed by emergency crews.
Amazon Warehouse in Edwardsville (IL) was captured on Friday night, with the roof toppled by a tornado.
The emergency crews tried to extricate those who were trapped in Amazon warehouse by using lightning bolts.
After a tornado destroyed the center, Mayfield in Kentucky was left with devastation. The tower of the Victorian courthouse was torn down.
Mayfield KY Storefronts were broken into and contents left on the sidewalk.
Mayfield, KY was inundated by the tornado that struck Friday night
On Friday, large trees were uprooted. A dark shadow hovered over Mayfield in Kentucky.
Callie Lemle is the wife and president Graves County Economic Development Jason Lemle. She told WPSD that Jason was in Mayfield Consumer Products, a candle factory.
According to her, people were excavating through rubble to rescue people and listening to their cries.
According to her, her husband had told her that they needed more volunteers and she was encouraged by anyone who has gloves and headlamps and digging equipment.
Mayfield suffered the unfortunate distinction of being struck by the worst storms in recorded history, with debris reaching 30,000 feet up the sky, according to storm trackers.
Brett Adair from Live Storms Media stated that Mayfield saw ‘absolute destruction’.
Craig Ceecee was a Mississippi State meteorologist and researcher. He described the Mayfield tornado as one of the most intense recorded storms.
It was described as an “extremely violent tornado”.
‘Communities being hit hard. It will be difficult to know the extent of it until tomorrow morning. It is important to remember and pray for all those affected by the tragedy,’ he said in a tweet.
And across the region, tornadoes on Friday night were barreling through parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky – with one becoming what a storm chaser said was the first quad-state tornado in U.S. history.
To prevent tornadoes, a tornado watch was put in place from 2 AM CST.
Arkansas tornadoes were captured in photographs posted online by Arkansas social media users on Friday night
The footage was captured on social media across the region and showed large swirling towers storm clouds moving across the plains.
Photographs of the tornado were taken by storm chasers along I-55 near Caruthersville Missouri.
Multiple semis were seen being thrown on their side and twisted along the roadway.
Chris Jackson is a storm chaser who has seen professional storm chasers lift tractor trailers from Steele Missouri and throw them into the air.
He wrote, “A second tractor wagon was taken up and thrown along I-55 near exit 17,”
“Just spoke with the driver. It has some small cuts but everything is fine.
Jackson stated that the emergency response teams were racing to assist people in need, their lights flashing and they were rushing to get there.
He stated that power had been cut along I-69, between Troy and Mayfield in Kentucky.
Mayfield was founded in 1903 and its main street was destroyed by Hurricane Irene.
Numerous Victorian buildings, which included the courthouse built in 1888, were damaged badly. It was the fourth building of its kind on the property.
In 1990, the courthouse was renovated.
According to Graves County’s economic development board, 35% of Mayfield residents are considered living in poverty.
Friday night saw the Kentucky governor declare a state emergency
Andy Beshear called in the Kentucky Guard to activate the Kentucky State Police and Kentucky Guard to help with the response to the damage to western Kentucky.
No fatalities have been identified so far. However, WLWT reports that officers indicated that they expect a loss of life.
Kentucky State Police is being assisted by multiple agencies.
Governor said that he will provide an update to Kentucky Division of Emergency Management officials on Saturday at 5am.
Beshear stated in a tweet that “We are praying for Western Kentucky families,”