(WSIL) -- During a daily briefing Monday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear saidÌýthe most accurate number of lives lost to recent tornadoes now stands at 76.
The Governor has said multiple times he has been waiting to confirm three people from Dawson Springs that at one point had been included in Hopkins County’s report. He said those three are believed to already be counted in the Caldwell County numbers.Ìý
The Governor said that would have pushed the number back to 75, but one additional employee of the candle factory who escaped the collapse later succumbed to their injuries.ÌýÌý
Gov. Beshear said there continues to be no one listed as missing from the storm. No active search or rescue operations are underway, he said.
As of Monday morning, the Western Kentucky Tornado Relief fund set up by the Beshear administration to help those in Western Kentucky has received 112,079 donations totaling $21,483,814.
Kentuckians displaced by the tornadoes are being lodged at Kentucky state resort parks. Currently there are 226 state park rooms occupied by displaced Kentuckians and 92 rooms have been provided for first responders. Parks with vacancies still available for displaced families are:
- Kentucky Dam Village � 4 rooms available;
- Kenlake State Resort Park � 13 rooms available;
- Lake Barkley State Resort Park � 3 rooms available;
- Barren River Lake State Resort Park � 42 rooms available;
- John James Audubon State Park � 4 rooms available; and
- Rough River Dam State Resort Park � 51 rooms available.
Insurance Claims
As of Monday morning, the Department of Insurance (DOI) has received 10,235 insurance claims of which 84 have been addressed and closed. DOI provided on-site consumer assistance Monday. A toll-free number is available for additional consumer assistance: 800-595-6053.
Driver's License Replacement
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet opened a temporary driver licensing issuance station in Mayfield. Fees are waived for disaster victims needing to replace lost operator licenses, permits and state ID cards. The office, at 355 Charles Drive, will operate Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST, through at least Jan. 28.
A temporary driver licensing station will be set up in Dawson Springs once an appropriate space is located.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Kentuckians who became unemployed or who are self-employed and had work interrupted in one of 14 counties as a direct result of the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes on Dec. 10, 2021, are eligible to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits through the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance. The 14 counties are Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Taylor and Warren.
To qualify for DUA benefits, claimants in eligible counties must show that their employment or self-employment was lost or interrupted as a direct result of the disaster and that they are not otherwise eligible for traditional unemployment insurance benefits under state or federal law. Farmers and other self-employed individuals who are traditionally ineligible for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits may qualify for DUA.
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