Dozens dead after tornadoes rip through six states overnight

One tornado tore a path of destruction through the state of Illinois, where it wound up collapsing a roof at a gigantic Amazon warehouse, causing loss of human life there, according to the Daily Wire.

Friday night's tornadoes represent an unusual event on a historical scale. The level of tornado activity, which occurred in less than 24 hours, is close to the average amount of tornadoes experienced in the US during a whole year. In the previous year, there were only 18 tornadoes in total compared to 66 in 2018.

In the state of Kentucky, one large tornado landed and continued along the ground on a trajectory of more than 220 miles. Kentucky's Governor Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency in the hard-hit state with at least 50 fatalities.

The city of Mayfield, Kentucky, is putting a curfew in place beginning at 7 pm EST, Police Chief Nathan Kent said at a news conference Saturday.

Beshear said in a press statement of the casualty: "One tornado struck the City of Mayfield which is reporting major damages to public facilities, businesses, and residences. It is reported that a Graves County factory has collapsed, trapping workers and we believe there are at least 50 fatalities."

"Debris covering emergency vehicle buildings has hampered search and rescue efforts. In Hopkins County, a train carrying hazardous materials has been derailed by a tornado. Vegetative and construction debris cover a multitude of county, state, and federal routes. At this point, at least 17 Kentucky counties have experienced tornadic activity and debris fields. The event is ongoing," Beshear added.

During a press conference, Beshear said that as the day progressed, residents needed to brace themselves for "more tough news."

"It has been one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history," the governor said. "Some areas have been hit in ways that are hard to put into words."

Kentucky emergency management director Michael Dossett called the devastation "one of the most significant, the most extensive disasters that Kentucky has faced," adding this was "one of the darkest days in the state's history."