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Recently, a series of tornadoes wreaked havoc across several states in the United States, with Kentucky bearing the brunt of the devastation. Mayfield, a town severely affected by the tornadoes, saw catastrophic destruction, resulting in at least 74 confirmed fatalities and around 100 people still missing. Local authorities and rescue teams have now transitioned from rescue operations to recovery efforts, focusing on assessing the extent of structural and utility damage.
While some areas in Kentucky have seen progress, with approximately 10,000 electrical customers having power restored by Monday, there are still about 18,500 outages statewide. However, this figure only considers areas with functioning electrical systems. In Mayfield, the power grid has suffered extensive damage, and the timeline for restoring power remains uncertain, ranging from a few weeks to several months, as stated by the state’s emergency management director, Michael Dossett.
Describing the damage in Mayfield, Dossett remarked, “Being on the ground will take your breath away. It is simply indescribable in some places.”
This is 6-year-old Brody.
After the tornadoes in Kentucky, he put on his Spider-Man costume and stepped outside.
His reason?
In case anyone needed help. #Humanity ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8ievf4lPhv
— Goodable (@Goodable) December 15, 2021
Today, President Joe Biden is expected to visit Kentucky to meet with storm survivors and assess the damage firsthand. White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated that Biden’s priority is to ensure that swift assistance is provided to affected areas to facilitate recovery efforts. Psaki added, “He wants the communities on the ground to know that the federal government is ready to offer any necessary support.”
More than 500 National Guard members are actively engaged in debris removal, recovery operations, and managing local traffic.
