A pilot reportedly captured a total of 45,000-foot view of the midwest tornadoes that killed nearly 90 people and impacted six states.
According to DailyMail, the pilot captured the footage while in the cockpit of the plane at 45,000 feet. The images showed the supercell that led to a tornado that tears through a 200-mile path through six states. The states were Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky, and Arkansas. The storms killed 88 people on Friday (December 10th) and Saturday (December 11th).
The pilot revealed to the media outlet that he was flying cross country at a high altitude. He was doing so in order to avoid the storms. That’s when he decided to capture the footage. More than 30 tornadoes hit the six states. Kentucky had 74 confirmed deaths. 14 people in Illinois, Arkansas, and Missouri lost their lives. Over 100 people are still missing.
Kentucky Governor, Andy Beshear announced that the death toll may actually grow as authorities continue to work around the debris. The Governor also reveals that close to 450 National Guard members are on the ground in the state. And 95 of them are searching for victims.
Kentucky Emergency Management Director, Michael Dossett, told reporters on Monday that over 10,000 homes and businesses were without water. He then noted that another 17,000 were under boil-water advisories.
President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergencies for Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois.
Following the Devastating Tornadoes, Survivors in a Kentucky Town Just Have the Clothes on Their Backs
According to CNN, about 75% of Dawson Springs, Kentucky was completely wiped out during the devastating tornadoes on Friday. Hopkins County Coroner, Dennis Mayfield, reported on Sunday a death toll of 13 in the town alone. “Right now, our spirits are crushed. But we’ll come back.”
The town’s population of 2,500 reportedly lives below the poverty line. Many of the residents do not have insurance for the damage from the tornadoes. Nick Bailey, the county’s emergency management director, also declared that the homes still standing will more than likely not have power for up to a month.
Beshear also shared that when the tornadoes hit, they didn’t just take a roof off. “It exploded the whole house. People, animals, the rest – just gone.”
Meanwhile, the media outlet reports that damage from the tornadoes was not just to buildings. There are several large transmission towers down due to the storms. Dossett stated that it will take weeks to months to replace them.
Kentucky State Senator, Whitney Westerfield, shares that he doesn’t know if some folks will recover from the tornadoes completely. Especially both emotionally and psychologically. “Homes and buildings can be rebuilt in time. But this is the kind of thing that lasts with the community. And with the family for a long time.”
