Kentucky Tornadoes

Over the next two weeks, All Hands and Hearts will be sending in two professional saw teams initially into Mayfield and then Dawson Springs, Kentucky once it becomes more accessible. Before beginning our chainsaw work, our teams will be working with homeowners to help search and salvage any belongings left in and around homes. This important first step will help safeguard personal belongings before more inclement weather impacts the region in coming days. We continue to make connections with community leaders and partners to further assess the situation and provide assistance where we are able. Stay up to date with our DART by following our Kentucky Tornado Storm Tracker Updates. Sign up to join the team or donate now.

The tornadoes were so powerful that entire homes have been torn from their foundations, leaving little behind. The team found residents of Dawson Springs beginning to sift through the debris in search of what remains of their homes. Assessments have shown that the damage is widespread and some areas are in high need of assistance. Stay up to date with our DART by following our Kentucky Tornado Storm Tracker Updates. Sign up to join the team or donate now.

Our DART has been on the ground since Monday, assessing the needs of the communities affected by the tornado outbreak that happened over the weekend. The damage is so widespread and severe that search and rescue teams are still conducting operations, days after the tornadoes touched down. Crews are working around the clock to return power to the region and reduce the number of those unaccounted for. Of the areas assessed, Dawson Springs is where most of the missing remain unaccounted for. The town was decimated with around 70% of the buildings suffering major damage. Stay up to date with our DART by following our Kentucky Tornado Storm Tracker Updates. Sign up to join the team or donate now.

Reports now say that the tornadoes that hit the central U.S. destroyed approximately 3000 homes in Kentucky alone. Today, our team conducted preliminary assessments in Mayfield, Bowling Green, and nearby Dawson Springs. In Mayfield, disaster relief groups are trickling in, but the extent of the damage is making it difficult to begin work. In Bowling Green, they connected with the local Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) and were informed that the city is seeing an influx of assistance from around the nation. Fortunately, the resources and interest have allowed recovery efforts to happen quickly. However, in Dawson Springs, access to the town is limited to search and rescue crews so much of the area is inaccessible. From what they were able to assess, it is clear that there is a dire need for chainsaw work and heavy debris removal.  Stay up to date with our DART by following our Kentucky Tornado Storm Tracker Updates. Sign up to join the team or donate now.

Last night, our teams met in Hardin, Kentucky to stage for a another day of assessments. The goal today is to meet with partners on the ground and further assess the needs in Mayfield and Bowling Green. Preliminary reports have already emphasized that the highest need is tarping and emergency repairs before more inclement weather rolls in. Stay up to date with our DART by following our Kentucky Tornado Storm Tracker Updates. Sign up to join the team or donate now.

Reports of search and rescue continue to come in, as efforts are ongoing. The tornadoes have caused power outages across multiple states, and as of this morning, over 14,000 people are reported without power in the state of Kentucky and over 9,000 without power in Tennessee. Our team is en route to the hard-hit city of Mayfield, which is still without water or power. Stay up to date with our DART by following our Kentucky Tornado Storm Tracker Updates. Sign up to join the team or donate now.

Following a series of tornadoes that ripped through homes, businesses, and entire towns, hundreds of people are still missing, and dozens are presumed dead. All Hands and Hearts has deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) moving towards the city of Mayfield, Kentucky. This morning, members of our DART are flying in from around the nation to regroup before heading into the affected areas. To cover the most ground, one team is starting in St. Louis, Missouri heading south and another starting in Nashville, Tennessee heading north. Stay up to date with our DART by following our Kentucky Tornado Storm Tracker Updates. Sign up to join the team or donate now.

One of the hardest hit areas was Mayfield, Kentucky, a city of around 10,000 people, where a 24/7 candle factory was destroyed by the tornadoes. Another tornado swept across Edwardsville, Illinois and heavily damaged an Amazon distribution center. All Hands and Hearts has begun mobilizing an assessment team, and is planning to have boots on the ground as soon as possible. We have also created a fund designated to help the hardest hit areas. Sign up to join the team or donate now.

The White House approved Kentucky’s State of Emergency resulting in Federal assistance to supplement the state’s response efforts due to the emergency conditions caused by the severe weather last night. All Hands and Hearts is supporting those efforts by sending in an assessment team as soon as possible. Sign up to help those in need.

All Hands and Hearts continues to monitor the situation to identify the needs of the communities impacted by the tornadoes. All Hands and Hearts will be sending an assessment team to have boots on the ground to ascertain the extent of the damage in residential areas to see if further resource deployment is needed. 

Last night, severe weather impacted the central U.S. with preliminary reports identifying a minimum of 26 tornadoes. As of this morning, FEMA has reported that tornadoes touched down in Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky and damage reported across six states. The most damaging tornado traveled over 227 miles leaving a trail of devastation across the state of Kentucky. At least 17 counties in Kentucky were impacted by tornadic activity and debris fields. All Hands and Hearts is closely monitoring the situation to assess the extent of the damage.