Tornado Outbreak: Victims Range in Age from 2 Months to 98 Years

Tuesday was a day of continued search efforts as people and communities began the long journey to recovery from the deadliest tornado outbreak in the United State’s history.

Officials focused their attention on restoring electricity and finding shelter for survivors who were left without heat during the December chill.

In heavily damaged Mayfield, Kentucky, there was some good news – officials believe all 110 workers at Mayfield Consumer Products have been accounted for. Eight people were killed at the candle factory. Employees were working around-the-clock to meet holiday demand.

(WATCH: What was the Cause of the Deadly Tornado Outbreak)

Here are the headlines for Tuesday:

State To Investigate Candle Factory

Governor. Andy Beshear stated this at an afternoon press conference.

Beshear stated that such reviews are routine when workers are killed on their jobs.

“So it shouldn’t suggest that there was any wrongdoing,” he said. “But what it should give people confidence in, is that we’ll get to the bottom of what happened.”

Factory workers told news outlets that they feared being fired if they returned home in the wake of severe weather. The company denies these allegations.

Practice Tornado Drill Hours before Storm Credited to Saving Nursing Home Residents

USA Today reports that residents and staff at Mayfield Health and Rehabilitation nursing homes went through the motions of a tornado drill at approximately 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon.

Five hours later they had done it for real. Parts of the building were torn down by the tornado which decimated large swathes.

Two people sustained minor injuries. Employees claim that the practice saved lives.

ClearView Healthcare Management’s regional operations manager Sarah Stewart told USA Today that it was a miracle that so many people survived the destruction of the building. These are elderly, vulnerable people who can’t run. They were protected by staff who risked the lives of their lives. It was the best outcome.

Insurance inspectors declared the nursing home a complete loss. One of its four wings had to be completely demolished.

Governor: Kentucky has more than 100 unaccounted for people

As families, friends, and neighbors attempt to understand what happened in their respective communities, the names of all but eight of those 74 Kentucky victims have been released.

The oldest victim was 98. The youngest victim was 2 months.

“Twelve of the 74 are children and there are unquestionably more than 100 people that are still unaccounted for,” Gov. Andy Beshear stated this in a noon newsconference.

The governor stated that search and rescue efforts are ongoing and that blood donations are still needed by the American Red Cross.

9-Year-Old Killed after Smiling in Photo Captured While Sheltering with Family in Bathroom

A Missouri family snapped a photo of their three young daughters smiling as they took refuge in a bathroom with no windows when the severe weather hit Friday night.

The family ended up in a field filled with mud fifteen minutes later.

Annistyn Rackley, nine-year-old, is holding her favorite doll in the photo.

Sandra Hooker, Annistyn’s mom, sent the photo to her before the storm hit. Hooker relayed the story via The Associated Press with details Hooker stated were provided by first responders and the father of the girls.

Hooker said 7-year-old Avalinn told doctors she flew around “in the tornado.”

“Their house is splintered,” Hooker told the AP during a telephone interview. Hooker stated that debris was left in the field for years and they were then swept up by the tornado.

Many Still Without Electricity

According to poweroutage.us more than 17,000 Kentucky homes were without power at 6:15 PM EST. This number has not changed in the past 24 hours.

The majority of outages were split between Graves and Hopkins counties. This is where the worst storm damage occurred.

OSHA and local officials investigate the collapse of Amazon’s warehouse

Monday’s announcement by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (FSHA) was that it has opened an investigation into the incident at the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville. Six people were killed when severe weather ripped apart parts of the building.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced at a press conference that local officials are also looking into the incident, including any structural problems with the building.

“Six individuals clocked in on Friday and they neverPritzker spoke at a Tuesday news conference. Pritzker said that two people had returned home and one more person was still receiving medical treatment. “We are working to ensure that all details about the final moments of these people are fully understood. And while we cannot prevent natural disasters, we can strive to prevent future tragedies.”

Amazon officials were present at the news conference and stated that they believe all severe-weather protocols were properly followed.

At the time, 46 people were inside the facility. 39 took refuge in an area on the north end of the building. John Felton from Amazon logistics executive stated this at the news conference. The rest were in a separate section of the facility.

“There were megaphones, there were alerts, we were corresponding with drivers that were coming back,” Felton said. “There was a tremendous effort that happened that night to keep everyone safe.”

The National Weather Service conducts damage surveys to determine the strength and track of a tornado.

National Weather Service damage assessments are more than just determining the strength and path of a tornado. These surveys are essential to improve our understanding of nature’s most powerful storms.

A team of meteorologists from your local National Weather Service office inspects the damage after a tornado has struck or is suspected.

The survey team is responsible for determining if the damage was caused tornado winds or thunderstorm winds. They also need to know when and how large a tornado first touched down.

Although this sounds simple, it is not. The process behind it can be complicated and time-consuming.

Click here to learn more.

How to Help

Kentucky First Lady Britainy Beshear created the Western Kentucky Toy Drive to provide holiday presents for children affected during the storm.

You can drop off or mail unwrapped toys and books at many locations across the state.

Families in need will receive the items.

Click here for more information on how to help victims of severe weather and tornadoes.

Jail Worker hailed as a hero for protecting inmates and other workers at the Tornado Struck Candle Factory

Robert Daniel, 47, was only a few days into his new job of supervising seven prisoners in a work-release program at Mayfield Consumer Products Candle Factory, Mayfield, Kentucky. When a tornado struck the building, it was just days old. According to the Washington Post Daniel, a deputy prisoner at Graves County Jail who was also a father of seven children, was among eight people killed in the candle factory.

Robert’s younger brother Alonzo Daniel told the New York Times that he “led many people to safety.” “When they turned back, they didn’t see him anymore.”

According to his children Daniel was excited about the chance to help with the work-release program. This gives inmates the opportunity to earn money and gain work experience to ease their transition to life after prison.

Trey Daniel, his 26-year old son, said to the Post that he was a very loving father.

Death Toll Hits: 88

Authorities have confirmed that at least 74 people died as a result in Kentucky from the worst tornado outbreak in Kentucky’s history. Gov. Andy Beshear stated that dozens of people are still missing, raising concerns about the possibility that more than 100 storm victims may have been left behind.

Six deaths were confirmed in Illinois; four in Tennessee; two in Arkansas; two in Missouri.

This is more than the 76 tornado-related deaths in 2020.

Below are some updates from the live coverage of the past few days.

First Identities of Victims Revealed

Monday’s identification of the first victims provided more insight into the lives and deaths of those who were lost. The Associated Press (AP) obtained their stories.

-Oaklynn Koon 2 months: Douglas Koon’s wife, Jackie, placed their infant daughter in the car seat to protect her when the tornado hit their Dawson Springs, Kentucky house. Despite the tornado destroying their home, she and their three other children appeared to be fine. However, Oaklynn started to have seizures and may have suffered a stroke at the hospital. Her parents posted a Facebook post to confirm that Oaklynn had been having seizures since Sunday. Oaklynn, the youngest victim to the tornado outbreak, was confirmed by her family Monday morning.

-Lisa Taylor 54: Taylor was a florist who spent 14 years at a Memphis floral shop. She had recently left to pursue a new career at the Transportation Security Administration (ATL). Taylor was described as a creative person by friends. One customer left a note at the flower shop describing Taylor as “a light shining in a dark world.” She was killed when the storms swept through Orange Mound in Tennessee Friday night.

-Brian Crick (43), is a judge in two western Kentucky counties. Crick was a public defender before moving into private practice and eventually obtaining his judgeship in 2011. Crick died in his Muhlenberg County, Kentucky home. His three children and wife survived the storm.

June Pennington (52), a mother of 4 and grandmother of 9, she spent a lot of her time caring for her adopted pets and spending time with them. “She didn’t love anything as much in life as her kids and grandkids,” Christie Pennington told the AP. “She was selfless and loved her family wholeheartedly.” Pennington was killed in a tornado that struck the Dollar General store at Leachville, Arkansas. She was an assistant manager.

-Clayton Lynn Cope (29),: A worker at Amazon Warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois. Cope loved riding his motorcycle outside and being with his dog Draco.

-Ollie Borgmann (84): A sweet, “typical grandmother” by her family, Borgmann spent decades in her Defiance, Missouri home with Vernon. Ollie died after a tornado hit their home. Vernon was also hurt but is expected to recover.

Generators Will Be Used Amid Heating Shortage – Here’s How to Use One Properly

Generators may be the only way to keep warm in cold nights, as there are so many days and weeks without power. The dangers of improperly using a generator can prove deadly so make sure to follow these safety guidelines.

–Generators can be placed outdoors or far from any structure.A generator running inside an enclosed or partially enclosed structure can cause dangerous and sometimes fatal levels of carbon monoxide. Generators should be placed outside, at least 15ft away from windows, so that exhaust doesn’t enter your home/business or neighboring homes/businesses.

–Keep the generator clean.Your generator should be operated on a dry surface with a canopy-like structure. Before touching it, make sure your hands are clean. The generator should not be used in wet or rainy conditions.

–Do not plug the generator into a wall outlet.Never plug the generator into a wall outlet. Only a licensed electrician should connect the generator to the main electrical panel. They must install the correct equipment according to local electric codes. Make sure the electrician installs an approved automatic transfer switch so you can disconnect your home’s wiring from the utility system before you use the generator.

Here are more tips.

Biden will travel to Kentucky Wednesday

President Joe Biden announced Monday that he would see the damage in Kentucky firsthand Wednesday, when he travels from Washington to Mayfield and Dawson Springs.

He also stated that he was working with local officials in order to ensure that his visit doesn’t distract from the emergency response currently underway in those areas.

Biden promised all federal resources needed to assist with the recovery.

“We’re going to get this done,” Biden said, according to the AP. “We’re going to be there as long as it takes to help.”

Kentucky Gov.: 1,000-Plus Homes Destroyed

Governor. Andy Beshear spoke to reporters.

(WATCH: Kentucky Tornado Damage leaves Meteorologists stunned)

Crews are still going door to door in an effort to find the bodies. This is despite the fact that there is so much debris in some areas.

According to the AP: “There are no Doors”

Kentucky residents can endure a freezing night without heat

As temperatures plunged below freezing overnight, electricity was cut off for many in Mayfield, Kentucky. And heat might not be restored to residents for a long time, Mayfield Mayor Kathy Stewart O’Nan said Monday on “CBS Mornings.”

“Our infrastructure is so destroyed. We don’t have running water. Our water tower was destroyed. Our wastewater management was lost, and there’s no natural gas to the city. According to CBS, “So we have nothing to rely upon there.” She stated to CBS, according the AP. “So that is purely survival for so many people.”

(WATCH: Kentucky Tornado Survivors Speak Out: ‘We Need Places to Go’)

According to poweroutage.us on Monday morning, around 25,000 homes and businesses in Kentucky were still without power.

More Than 20 Tornadoes Confirmed

As the National Weather Service continued to survey the damage from several long track tornadoes, meteorologists confirmed that at least 20 tornadoes were active during Friday night and Saturday morning. Notable tornadoes include:

-EF3: Bowling Green, Kentucky

-EF3: Edwardsville, Illinois

-EF3 Defiance Missouri

As for the tornado that may have tracked for more than 100 miles from Arkansas into Kentucky – ravaging Mayfield, among other Kentucky towns – the damage survey is expected to take days due to the sheer length of the damage swath that will need to be examined.

(MORE: Eight years of record-breaking drought in EF5)

Amazon Warehouse: Death Toll Rises

According to the AP, six people were confirmed dead in the collapsed Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville in Illinois.

(WATCH: Before-and-After Images Reveal Devastation)

One worker was airlifted from the accident site to a hospital. There were 45 survivors.

Bowling Green, Kentucky: Confirmation of Dead of Several People

Bowling Green in Kentucky, where roofs were torn off buildings, trees uprooted, and homes left in splintered wreckage, saw at least 12 people die.

Kevin Irby, Warren County Coroner, confirmed 11 deaths late Saturday afternoon and stated that children were among them. These deaths were in addition to the one previously announced.

Photo from Indiana may have been carried more than 125 miles

A woman from New Albany, Indiana said she found a photo. stuck to the windowSaturday, she took a photo of her car. She posted it on social networks, and online sleuths leapt in to help locate the owner, based upon information written on the back.

Katie Posten stated in an update that she was connected to the family photo. They are from Dawson Springs, Kentucky which is about 127 miles southwest from New Albany. Louisville is just across the Ohio River.

Click here for more information.

Drone Footage Shows Nursing Home Devastation

A tornado ripped parts of the roof off the Monette Manor nursing center in Monette, Arkansas. It is located about 20 miles east-east of Jonesboro.

Five people were also injured. At least one person was reported to have died at the scene. An emergency management operator for Craighead County, the county where the nursing home is situated, said that there was extensive damage.

One other death was confirmed at least, in the nearby Dollar General store of Leachville.

Winter Storms can be severe

The Weather Channel called the storm Atticus. It brought severe weather, high winds as well as snow and rain to its eastward journey.

It delivered the first snow of the season to Salt Lake City, Denver, and other areas. Some spots in the mountains of Colorado and southern Wyoming received snowfalls up to 3 feet.

Minnesota’s state patrol responded more than 2,000 times to calls. 136 crashesAs of Friday, April 4, more than 200 flights at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport had been cancelled. Some areas saw more than 20 inches of snow, including the Twin Cities.

It is not uncommon for severe weather to be accompanied by a winter storm’s warm side.

Jonathan Belles, meteorologist, stated that winter storms can often produce severe thunderstorms. They pull moist, warm, and buoyant air northwards over the Gulf of Mexico. “These storms feed on the jetstream that fuels them, growing taller than normal and becoming more tilted. The storms eventually become pushed to the spin by a change from the ground to jet stream level winds.

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