‘I’VE GOT TOWNS THAT ARE GONE,’ KENTUCKY GOVERNOR

A general view of town hall after a devastating outbreak of tornadoes ripped through several U.S. states (Reuters)

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said on Sunday that widespread damage is making rescue efforts a challenge in his state after tornadoes swept through the region two days ago.

“I’ve got towns that are gone,” Beshear said on CNN’s “State of the Union” programme. “My dad’s home town, Paxton, isn’t standing. It is hard to describe.” The devastation goes on for a dozen blocks in some places and there are many people without power, he said. The state has a strong rescue effort in place, he said, but the damage is prohibitive and it will take time.

“You think you can go door to door to check on people and see if they’re OK - there are no doors. The question is, is somebody in the rubble of thousands upon thousands of structures?” he said. “It is devastating.”

Beshear could not provide a number of people in his state who have been reported missing. He said in his family’s home town, Dawson Springs, population 2,700, the list of unaccounted for ran to eight pages, single-spaced. “It’s pretty bad,” he said.

Deanne Criswell, administrator of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, told CNN rescue efforts are ongoing across the region and there is still hope to find survivors.

WASHINGTON, DEC 12 (REUTERS)