BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Aerial views captured by the SKY11 drone show widespread destruction left behind by an apparent tornado in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
A strong line of storms sparked numerous tornadoes across multiple states late Friday into early Saturday. More than 30 tornadoes were tracked across six states, according to NOAA.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said that he expected the death toll to rise to at least 50 and perhaps even up to 100 after a suspected tornado struck a candle factory in Mayfield.
In Bowling Green, aerial video shows dozens of homes severely damaged or completely destroyed. The video appears to trace the path of the tornado as it tore through the neighborhood.
Numerous downed power lines and trees as well as overturned vehicles are seen in the drone footage.
The National Weather Service said its survey team found damage consistent with an EF-3 tornado with estimated winds of 150 mph.
Several residents described what they saw when the storm struck.
"We [ran] downstairs because we heard the siren and then I heard something that sounded like a train," one woman said. "I got all of the kids in the basement...as soon as I handed her to him, it picked me up and threw me out of the house."
Beshear declared a state of emergency due to the damage, calling it "one of the toughest nights in Kentucky's history".
Michael Dossett of Kentucky's Emergency Management Department said that this event rivaled the 1974 Super Outbreak as one of the most deadly in Kentucky history.
Several shelters were opened to help those impacted by the storms.
Officials urged residents to stay off of roads as they worked to assess the damage.