by Kolton Schwartz

The most recent flurry of Kentucky tornadoes has been devastating state-wide. Governor Andy Beshear announced 64 confirmed deaths, although there are still plenty of people who are unaccounted for. Beshear also said that unfortunately, the number is liable to increase as they search for all those missing.

The worst part about a tornado event is that there is no way to actively predict their path. With other natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tsunamis, there are plenty of machines and models that will allow humans to predict when they are going to arrive in specific areas of the world. Failure to heed warnings can also lead to an increased death toll.

On Monday, December 13, the White House issued a statement saying that President Biden planned to travel to Ft. Campbell on Wednesday for a storm briefing and to the towns of Mayfield and Dawson Springs to survey storm damage. Though praising federal officials for what they described as a quick and thorough response, officials emphasized the difficult recovery ahead. Michael Dossett, director of the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, said, “This will go on for years.”

Officials across the six-state area were still assessing the extent of the damage. Local news reports and videos showed crumbled buildings and downed trees across the storm’s path. On Monday morning, about 26,000 customers in Kentucky were still without power, according to PowerOutage.us, which aggregates data from utilities across the United States. The storms also caused a freight train to derail in Hopkins County, although no injuries were reported.

If you would like to help in any way, whether it be a donation of time or of funds, some of the great organizations you can help include Brother’s Brother Foundation, Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund, and Global Empowerment Mission.