CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — More than 80 people have been killed after tornadoes tore through Kentucky. Officials say the state itself was hit by at least four and the path of destruction has devastated its communities, including the city of Mayfield.
“I don’t recognize the town and that’s my stomping ground,” Nikki Mick said.
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Mick lives in Clay County but spent years near Mayfield. Very little is left behind in the city after it was hit by at least EF-3 tornado damage with a width of 3/4 mile. Mick has family and friends who still live in the area or near it, including her daughter Jessica Bland.
“When those sirens went off at 5:40, I loaded the kids up and we drove as fast as we could to Murray,” Bland said.
Bland narrowly escaped its wrath, taking cover at a church in Murray about 15 minutes away. State officials said the twister that hit them stayed on the ground for over 200 miles and Bland said she could feel its impact.
“You could hear the wind and you could hear the roof rattling,” she said.
Houses are destroyed, property is gone and debris is scattered everywhere. Mick says she tried to reach her daughter but couldn’t at first, making her worry.
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“Not being able to hug my grandbabies, hug my daughter and go out and help people,” she said.
Bland describes this as a heartbreaking situation, and says prayers are much needed for the entire state.
“It’s going to take a while, it’s going to take a while to rebuild,” she said. “It wasn’t just one city — it was multiple in this area, we had five tornados in one week. Monday being the first and Friday being the worst.”
Mayfield is where a candle factory collapsed Friday evening. Officials said at least 110 people were inside the factory when it collapsed and there have been at least eight deaths.
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