As the sun came up Saturday morning, the extent of the damage seemed unreal.
Miles and miles of massive heaps of debris, homes knocked off their foundation, twisted vehicles and trees unearthed.
At least 70 people died in Kentucky alone as overnight storms formed a relentless band of tornadoes stretching from the South up toward Illinois where an Amazon warehouse collapsed, causing more fatalities.
The storms also reached a nursing home in Arkansas, killing at least one.
Of more than [30] tornadoes that touched down, one stayed on the ground for about [227] miles.
In hardest-hit Kentucky, the governor declared a state of emergency as search and rescue crews frantically look for those lost in the chaos just two weeks before Christmas.
“We are deeply saddened by the significant loss of life as a result of last night’s tornadoes,” said Josh Holland, assistant director of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT), Saturday morning. “We are praying for all of those who lost friends and loved ones, and also for the large number of people who suffered damage to their homes and property.”
“Our crisis-trained chaplains will be there to listen and pray with people, and let them know that God is with them and loves them, even during this difficult time.”
Franklin Graham called it “a night of horror” as the merciless storms ripped through multiple states.
Two of the Rapid Response Team’s Mobile Ministry Centers (MMCs) are headed to Mayfield, Kentucky, and Monette, Arkansas, today as chaplains assess the damage and see how they can best respond to the communities’ needs.
The MMCs will serve as a hub for anyone in the area in need of prayer or just someone to listen in the midst of overwhelming grief.
Chaplains will work alongside teams from sister ministry Samaritan’s Purse who will work to repair and rebuild in the aftermath of the storms.
HD Editor’s Note:
The Governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, stated that he believes the death toll of the tornado will exceed 70 and may even pass 100.
The “quad-state tornado” may have also set a record for the longest continuous tornado in US history, crossing 4 states (Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky).
