>>> THIS IS AN NBC NEWS SPECIAL
REPORT.
HERE’S PETER ALEXANDER.
>> GOOD MORNING, IT’S JUST AFTER
11:00 HERE ON THE EAST COAST.
WE’RE COMING ON THE AIR WITH AN
UPDATE OF THE DEVASTATING
TORNADOS THAT HIT THE SOUTHEAST
AND THE MIDWEST IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT.
THE SUN HAS NOW BEEN UP FOR A
FEW HOURS IN THAT REGION AND
SEARCH AND RESCUE CREWS ALONG
WITH FIRST RESPONDERS ARE
PICKING THROUGH THE RUBBLE,
LOOKING FOR SURVIVORS AND
COLLECTING THE DEAD.
THIS MORNING THE GOVERNOR SAID
HE EXPECTS 50 TO 100 PEOPLE MAY
HAVE BEEN KILLED IN HIS STATE,
MANY OF THEM AT A CANDLE FACTORY
IN THE SMALL TOWN OF MAYFIELD.
HE IS NOW TAKING PART IN A NEWS
CONFERENCE.
LET’S LISTEN IN.
>> AND SADLY, FAR TOO MANY HOMES
THAT PEOPLE WERE LIKELY IN
ENTIRELY DEVASTATED.
THIS WILL BE, I BELIEVE, THE
DEADLIEST TORNADO SYSTEM TO EVER
RUN THROUGH KENTUCKY.
EARLIER THIS MORNING, AT ABOUT
5:00 A.M. WE WERE PRETTY SURE
THAT WE WOULD LOSE OVER 50
KENTUCKIANS.
I’M CERTAIN THE NUMBER IS NOW
NORTH OF 70.
IT MAY, IN FACT, END UP
EXCEEDING 100 BEFORE THE DAY IS
DONE.
THE DAMAGE IS EVEN WORSE NOW
THAT WE HAVE FIRST LIGHT.
A COUPLE PLACES HAVE BEEN HIT
INCREDIBLY HARD.
CERTAINLY MAYFIELD HERE IN GRACE
COUNTY, BUT EVERYWHERE ALONG THE
LINE OF THIS TORNADO THAT
TOUCHES DOWN AND STAYED DOWN FOR
227 MILES OVER 200 IN KENTUCKY,
HAVE BEEN SEVERELY AND
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED.
I’VE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH NOW
NEARLY EVERY COUNTY JUDGE IN
AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED.
WE HAVE PLEDGED OUR FULL
SUPPORT.
I HAVE TALKED TO THE SECRETARY
OF HOMELAND SECURITY WHILE I
HAVE BEEN HERE.
HE HAS PLEDGED HIS FULL SUPPORT
AND WE ARE HEARING THAT FROM
EVERY PART OF THE FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION AND FROM OUR U.S.
SENATORS AND FROM OUR
CONGRESSMEN.
KENTUCKY IS UNITED TODAY BEHIND
THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN KENTUCKY.
WE WANT TO BE HERE TO HELP DIG
OUT, TO HELP MAKE RESCUES, TO
HELP PROVIDE WHEN PEEK AREOPLE A
SUFFERING AND THEN TO HELP
REBUILD.
THIS IS NOT A ONE-DAY THING.
THIS IS ONE STATE AND WE WILL
STAND UNITED TO MAKE SURE WE CAN
LIFT OUR FAMILIES BACK UP.
PLEASE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF
FAMILIES THAT NEED YOUR PRAYER.
PRAYERS THAT SOMEBODY MAY BE
FOUND OR PRAYERS TO HELP THEM
THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS.
DALSON SPRINGS UP THE ROAD ALSO
HIT INCREDIBLY HARD.
THAT’S WHERE I’LL BE HEADED
NEXT.
I WANT TO CALL ON A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE TODAY TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA
OF DIFFERENCE THINGS THAT WE ARE
DOING.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE STATE OF
EMERGENCY WAS PUT INTO PLACE
LAST NIGHT, BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
THE NATIONAL GUARD IS DEPLOYED,