Gov. Andy Beshear

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told reporters Saturday morning that at least 70 people died after tornadoes ripped through the commonwealth overnight.

As that death toll continues to rise, Beshear says it could exceed 100.

"This will be, I believe, the deadliest tornado system ever to run through Kentucky," Beshear said, adding that, "The damage is even worse now that we have first light."

"We have deaths in multiple -- possibly many -- counties," Beshear said earlier in the day, adding that the hardest hit county appears to be Graves, where the city of Mayfield was devastated. "A roof collapse at a candle factory has resulted in mass casualties." Beshear said about 110 people were working in a candle factory that was hit by a tornado, and the death toll "is in the dozens." 

Mayfield Fire Chief Jeremy Creason thanked 11 counties that had sent ambulance crews to Mayfield to help.

"We had to at times crawl over casualties to get to live victims and get them out and mark those as we work our way through the rubble," Creason said. 

He said the fire department battled four structure fires overnight, and although it was difficult to put them out, crews were able to extinguish all of them.

He said one of the department's fire stations was in the direct path of a tornado and is now inoperable. He added that fire crews had to extricate their own fire and EMS apparatus in order to respond to runs.

The police station as also destroyed, Creason said, adding that the police department is borrowing cars. 

Grayson County Judge Executive Jesse Perry's voice cracked as he told reporters, "At this time, what we need from everyone, is we need your prayers. We need your help."

Beshear declared a state of emergency about midnight in multiple Kentucky counties. He has also activated the Kentucky National Guard and Kentucky State Police to assist. So far 181 soldiers and airmen have already been mobilized, including search, extraction and debris clearing crews, with more to come. Beshear two tractor-trailers filled with water are headed to western Kentucky.

"This has been one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history, and some areas have been hit in ways that are hard to put in words," Beshear said. He said he believes this event is "the single most severe, certainly tornado event in our history, and I believe likely our most deadly."

IMAGES: Damage in western Kentucky after Dec. 10-11, 2021 tornadoes

He said he has been in contact with federal authorities and expects a federal disaster declaration to be declared by Saturday afternoon.

Counties with likely damage and debris include: Fulton, Hickman, Graves, Marshall, Lyon, Caldwell, Hopkins, Ohio, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Spencer, Shelby, Christian, Logan, Warren, Edmonson, Taylor and Marion. 

Kentucky Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett said "this tornado event may surpass the 1974 super outbreak as one of the most deadly in Kentucky's history."

Dossett said rescues and search efforts were ongoing, even before the storms were over. 

Dossett said the "track for the tornado is over 200 miles, just in Kentucky, and it may eclipse the 1925 record tri-state track for the longest tornado." He said the tornado originated in Arkansas, then moving through Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky. "It is a significant, massive disaster event."

"This is going to be some of the worst tornado damage we've seen in a long time," Beshear said in a Twitter video. He also said he will personally visit the areas affected as soon as it is safe to travel.

Tornado warnings were declared in multiple locations, and there were several confirmed tornadoes overnight including one about 2 a.m. seven miles west of Taylorsville, Kentucky. Beshear said at least four tornadoes touched down in the state, and that Dawson Springs was also hit hard. 

In southwest Kentucky, "twin tornadoes" were reported about 2:20 a.m. near Bowling Green. Warnings were also declared at about the same time in Hart, Edmonson, Barren, Metcalfe, Warren, Butler Counties. 

Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green says emergency crews were assessing significant storm damage there but no injuries were immediately reported.

A likely tornado with an estimated 102 mph winds was spotted on radar by WDRB meteorologists just after 3 a.m. near Hardyville, Kentucky, as the storm tracked toward Green County. 

Severe weather and tornadoes in the overnight hours are extremely dangerous because many people are asleep, and tornadoes shrouded in darkness and heavy rain are nearly impossible to see.

Kentucky State Police Post 1 in Mayfield released a statement about 12:30 a.m. Saturday that said it was responding to a severe tornado event across multiple counties in western Kentucky. The release said there is significant damage reported. Several buildings collapsed in Mayfield, said Sarah Burgess, a trooper with the Kentucky State Police. Burgess said authorities worked to clear trees and power lines from roads in order to begin assessing damage. 

Photos posted to social media from Mayfield showed uprooted trees, a courthouse steeple sheered off and business windows blown out in the storms.

"I have a lot of history here, four or five generations deep," First Christian Church of Mayfield Preacher Milton West said. "It's hard to see my community like this, but it's going to get better...absolutely certain of that." 

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