On Dec. 10 a swarm of tornadoes ripped through over 200 miles of the U.S., some reaching wind speeds of up to 158-206 mph. Those speeds would put it between an EF3 and EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

The powerful tornadoes left a trail of indescribable destruction. It leveled a candle factory, ripped through a nursing home and killed at least six workers at an Amazon warehouse. These tornadoes were easily the most destructive in Kentucky state history. 

“The devastation is unlike anything I have seen in my life and I have trouble putting it into words,” Beshear said at a press conference. “It’s very likely going to be over 100 people lost here in Kentucky,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. 

The death toll has risen to 74 with over 100 still unaccounted for. If that number keeps rising, this tornado could rank among the top 10 deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history. Gov. Beshear also reported the tornado traveled 227 miles; if the surveyors find that it in fact did travel that far, it will have broken a 96-year-old record for the longest continuous distance traveled by a tornado.

President Biden visited Kentucky on Dec. 15 to observe the damage and the recovery efforts. 

“While the president is there, he will be surveying storm damage firsthand, making sure that we’re doing everything to deliver assistance as quickly as possible in impacted areas to support recovery efforts,” said White House Press Secretary, Jen Psaki. 

President Biden assures the people of Kentucky that there is immense support and help for those hurting and affected by these awful tornadoes.

“Keep the faith,” he said. “We’re going to get this done. I promise you — The governor is not walking away, your county judge is not walking away, your congressman is not walking away. No one’s walking away. We’re in this for the long haul,” said President Biden. 

Although this news is not positive, there is a bright side to these tornadoes that may be a source of hope for these communities. The nursing home that the tornado ripped through that was mentioned before was called the Mayfield Health and Rehabilitation nursing home. What many may call a miracle, all 74 residents in the facility survived despite the tornado directly hitting the nursing home. 

“When you see the devastation of the building, to have kept that many people alive was truly a miracle,” said Stewart on Monday. “These are vulnerable, elderly people who cannot run. The staff risked their lives to protect them. It’s the best outcome,” said ClearView Healthcare Management Regional Director of Operations Sarah Stewart.