Deadly Tornado Causes Widespread Destruction in Kentucky Town
2021-12-14
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1A series of powerful tornadoes tore through six American states over the weekend, killing at least 90 people.
2Tornadoes are destructive storms in which powerful winds move around a central point.
3One of the tornadoes moved through Mayfield, a small town in Kentucky.
4The storm caused widespread destruction there and killed at least eight people.
5The eight people confirmed dead in Mayfield worked in a candle factory that was destroyed in the storm.
6Eight more workers at the factory remain missing.
7Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear had earlier feared up to 100 people may have been killed in his state.
8But on Sunday he reduced that estimate down to as low as 50.
9Mayfield is a town of about 10,000 people.
10Judy Burton is a Mayfield local who spoke to The Associated Press about the storm.
11She said she was able to take shelter in the basement of her apartment building with her dog and other people before the tornado hit.
12When observing the damage later, she could not believe the storm's destructive path.
13As she looked up at what used to be her third-floor apartment, Burton could still see her clothes hanging,
14but the walls were gone.
15Across the street, a damaged church was closed up.
16A restaurant where neighbors often gathered for lunch was lost in the destruction.
17"It's gone. It's terrible, just terrible, I'm shaking," Burton told the AP.
18"It's going to take me awhile to settle my nerves."
19Burton cannot imagine a single family in town not mourning after the disaster.
20She says Mayfield is the kind of place where everyone is somehow connected to everyone else.
21In Mayfield, hundreds of buildings and homes were reduced to nothing.
22Many structures that were still standing had their roofs torn off.
23Streets were filled with clothes, fallen trees and material from buildings.
24Local officials said the fire station was inoperable and most of the town's police cars were destroyed.
25Burton said she worries about her neighbor and her dog.
26They are feared among the dead, as they were probably unable to escape as walls collapsed around them.
27Shelters were set up in the area, with donations and volunteers coming in from several surrounding communities.
28At the shelters, people could get food, water and clothes.
29Meagan Ralph is a teacher who volunteered to oversee operations at a shelter.
30She told the AP that hundreds of her neighbors were left with nothing.
31But, she added: "We will recover, absolutely. We're small but mighty."
32Kentucky was the hardest-hit state.
33In Illinois, six workers were killed at an Amazon goods storage center after the building collapsed.
34A nursing home was hit in Arkansas, causing one of that state's two deaths.
35Four people were reported dead in Tennessee, while officials in Missouri said two people died.
36I'm Bryan Lynn.
1A series of powerful tornadoes tore through six American states over the weekend, killing at least 90 people. Tornadoes are destructive storms in which powerful winds move around a central point. 2One of the tornadoes moved through Mayfield, a small town in Kentucky. The storm caused widespread destruction there and killed at least eight people. 3The eight people confirmed dead in Mayfield worked in a candle factory that was destroyed in the storm. Eight more workers at the factory remain missing. 4Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear had earlier feared up to 100 people may have been killed in his state. But on Sunday he reduced that estimate down to as low as 50. 5Mayfield is a town of about 10,000 people. Judy Burton is a Mayfield local who spoke to The Associated Press about the storm. She said she was able to take shelter in the basement of her apartment building with her dog and other people before the tornado hit. When observing the damage later, she could not believe the storm's destructive path. 6As she looked up at what used to be her third-floor apartment, Burton could still see her clothes hanging, but the walls were gone. Across the street, a damaged church was closed up. A restaurant where neighbors often gathered for lunch was lost in the destruction. 7"It's gone. It's terrible, just terrible, I'm shaking," Burton told the AP. "It's going to take me awhile to settle my nerves." 8Burton cannot imagine a single family in town not mourning after the disaster. She says Mayfield is the kind of place where everyone is somehow connected to everyone else. 9In Mayfield, hundreds of buildings and homes were reduced to nothing. Many structures that were still standing had their roofs torn off. Streets were filled with clothes, fallen trees and material from buildings. Local officials said the fire station was inoperable and most of the town's police cars were destroyed. 10Burton said she worries about her neighbor and her dog. They are feared among the dead, as they were probably unable to escape as walls collapsed around them. 11Shelters were set up in the area, with donations and volunteers coming in from several surrounding communities. At the shelters, people could get food, water and clothes. 12Meagan Ralph is a teacher who volunteered to oversee operations at a shelter. She told the AP that hundreds of her neighbors were left with nothing. But, she added: "We will recover, absolutely. We're small but mighty." 13Kentucky was the hardest-hit state. In Illinois, six workers were killed at an Amazon goods storage center after the building collapsed. 14A nursing home was hit in Arkansas, causing one of that state's two deaths. Four people were reported dead in Tennessee, while officials in Missouri said two people died. 15I'm Bryan Lynn. 16The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 17We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. 18____________________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20candle - n. a long piece of wax with a string going through it that is lit to produce light 21basement - n. the area in a house that is below ground 22apartment - n. a set of rooms for someone to live in on levels of a building or house 23church - n. a building where Christians go to worship God 24roof - n. the surface that covers the top of a building or vehicle 25nursing home - n. a place where old people live to receive medical care 26absolutely - adj. completely 27mighty - adj. very powerful or successful