Infant is latest to die following Kentucky tornadoes, death toll reaches 77 - NBC News

An infant is the latest to die following the tornados that ravaged parts of Kentucky earlier this month — bringing the death toll of the disaster up to 77, the state's governor announced Monday.

The baby was from Graves County, where at least 10 people were killed. Mayfield, the county seat, was hit especially hard by the Dec. 10 storms, with hundreds of buildings leveled. A quarter of the county remains without power.

Gov. Andy Beshear asked that people "join us in lifting up this family and their friends and community in prayer."

At least a dozen other children were also killed by the storms in the state.

Flowers at a memorial in front of the Graves County Courthouse on Dec.17, 2021 in Mayfield, Ky.Brandon Bell / Getty Images

Cleanup continues across the state. Specifically, debris removal is “starting to ramp up,” Beshear said Monday.

“We are here for the long haul,” Beshear said. “Rebuilding these homes and structures and lives is going to take years, and we’ve got to make sure that when support is needed down the road, we have it and can deploy it quickly to help these families.”

About 11,600 insurance claims have been filed.

All together, the storms killed more than 90 people in five states. The National Weather Service recorded at least 41 tornadoes on Dec. 10 and 11, including 16 in Tennessee and eight in Kentucky.

Elisha Fieldstadt is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

The Associated Press

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