US tornadoes: Rescuers search for survivors as toll nears 100

Rescuers in the United States are desperately searching for survivors after a string of tornadoes killed at least 94 people and obliterated homes and businesses in six midwestern states.

 

But hope of finding survivors was dwindling, authorities said on Sunday evening, two days after the disaster struck.

 

Nowhere suffered as much as the small town of Mayfield, Kentucky, where Friday’s large twisters destroyed a candle factory and the fire and police stations.

 

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear told reporters on Sunday evening that at least 80 people in his state were dead and the toll was eventually going to exceed 100, but he held out hope for “some miracles” even though it had been more than 24 hours since anyone was found alive in the rubble.

 

“The very first thing that we have to do is grieve together and we’re going to do that before we rebuild together,” Beshear told reporters, saying one tornado tore across 365km (227 miles) of terrain, almost all of that in Kentucky.

 

A company spokesman said there may be fewer deaths in Mayfield’s candle factory than previously feared.

 

Among the 110 people who were at the factory, eight have been confirmed dead, and eight others have not been located, leaving far fewer missing than had been reported earlier, said Bob Ferguson, a spokesperson for Mayfield Consumer Products.

 

“There were some early reports that as many as 70 could be dead in the factory. One is too many, but we thank God that the number is turning out to be far, far fewer,” Ferguson said. (Foreign Agencies)