“Pray for Mayfield”: The town grieving in the aftermath of the tornado

By CLAIRE GALOFARO
AP National Writer

MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) — In Mayfield, Kentucky, survivors of one of the devastating tornadoes that cut a long path of destruction through the Midwest and South are grappling with the rubble around them. Mayfield has 10,000 residents, and it was one of the hardest hit towns in the unusually mid-December. Hundreds of buildings were turned into nothingness. The streets were littered with broken trees, clothes, pieces of insulation and blown up Christmas decorations. The fire station was inoperable, most of the police cars were destroyed. At least eight people who worked at a candle factory were killed. Eight more people are missing. It remains unclear how many people in Mayfield died. Residents say they cannot recognize their town. Some are optimistic for the recovery. Others say the town may never recover.