Kentucky tornado 2021: video footage of what happened in US, how many tornadoes there were and Mayfield impact

Kentucky residents are picking up the pieces after devastating tornadoes ripped through the state, killing at least 80 people.

No fewer than 52 tornadoes are understood to have touched down across six US states travelling at speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour.

The force of the twisters reported in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois was enough to bring buildings to its foundations over a two hour period.

One of the worst areas hit was the city of Mayfield, in Kentucky, central in the area hit.

What happened in Kentucky?

Tornadoes up to three quarters of a mile in width ripped through Kentucky and neighbouring states in the USA.

Some buildings were severely damaged while others were swept to the very foundations, as the terrifying twisters wreaked havoc.

Towns and cities have been obliterated by the sheer force of the tornadoes, as locals mourn losses and attempt to rebuild their lives.

Scientists continue to analyse the wreckage to further their understanding of the tornadoes during calm weather which is expected to worsen later this week.

How many tornado victims have there been in Kentucky?

Search and rescue teams continue to clear the debris across the worst hit areas.

No fewer than 80 people have been killed with more than a hundred more still missing, according to reports in America.

The victims range from as young as just a few months to 86 years old in a dark time for residents and families ahead of the festive period.

Many people could be without heat, water and electricity in chilly temperatures for a while, local authorities have warned, as officials struggle to restore services.

Did the Kentucky tornadoes bring an Amazon warehouse to the ground?

Tornadoes which decimated towns and cities across six US states also destroyed an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Footage online shows half of the building with the roof still on and the other half which has been reduced to rubble, following the devastating tornadoes.

In Kentucky, 110 people were locked inside a candle factory as the tornadoes hit. Eight deaths have been reported and another eight people are missing.

US president Joe Biden described the storm outbreak as "one of the largest" in American history and has called for action.

Federal aid has been made available to the hardest hit areas of Kentucky where a major federal disaster has been declared by Mr Biden, who will visit the state on Wednesday.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going. You can also sign up to our email newsletters and get a curated selection of our best reads to your inbox every day.