FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday launched a new website, governor.ky.gov/tornadoresources, as a centralized service to better assist those impacted by the tornadoes severe weather that occurred overnight Dec. 10 in western Kentucky.

The website provides a listing of information from a large number of state government assistance programs, including how to apply for unemployment, health care coverage, food assistance, driver’s license replacement and long-term housing. 

“We want to make sure that every Kentuckian hurting from and impacted by the tornadoes can easily access the information they need to rebuild and recover from these storms,” Beshear said in a press release. “We are committed to the folks of western Kentucky, and we won’t be here just this week or this month, but we will be here every single day for however long it takes to rebuild every building and every life, to get everyone as close as we can to where they need to be.”

The new website also provides steps on how to remove debris, submit a claim to FEMA and how western Kentuckians can locate needed resources, such as temporary shelter, hot meals and relief hotlines.

The tornado resource website will be updated as needed when information is available or revised.

Gov. Beshear also provided the following information on the state's tornado response:

• The death toll remains at 76. No one is considered missing from the storm.
• There has been significant progress getting those who have been impacted registered for individual assistance. There are more than 9,700 validated registrants and FEMA has approved around $3.6 million.
• The Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund has received 122,193 donations pledging $27 million.
• As of this morning, Kentucky State Parks are providing housing and food services for 600 displaced Kentuckians and 169 first responders.
• The FEMA application for assistance is accessible by calling 800-621-3362, going online to DisasterAssistance.gov, using the FEMA App or by visiting a FEMA mobile registration center.
• Two existing Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are located at:
  • Central High School, 6625 Hopkinsville Road, Madisonville, KY 42431
  • Former Sears location at Greenwood Mall, 2625 Scottsville Road, Bowling Green, KY 42104
• There are two new DRCs in Caldwell and Muhlenberg counties, located at:
  • Caldwell Butler Gym Building, 600 Main Street, Princeton, KY 42445
  • Neal’s Chapel General Baptist Church, State Route 81, Sacramento, KY 42372
• If anyone observes individuals removing items from properties where they do not belong, please contact law enforcement.
• Those who became unemployed or those who are self-employed and had work interrupted in 14 Kentucky counties as a direct result of the severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding and tornadoes Dec.10 are eligible to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) benefits through the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance. Those counties include: Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hart, Hickman, Hopkins, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Taylor and Warren.
• The updated locations for next week’s unemployment insurance DUA clinics are below. They are open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 27, 28 and 29, from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.:
  • 262 Scottsville Road, which is the Greenwood Mall in the old Sears store, Bowling Green, KY 42101 (new location)
  • 56 Federal Street, Madisonville, KY 42431
  • 233 Ring Road, Elizabethtown, KY 42701
  • 3108 Fairview Drive, Owensboro, KY 42303
  • 351 Charles Drive, Mayfield, KY 42066 (new location)
• It is not necessary to attend an in-person session if you can do everything online. These sessions are to assist individuals in filling out the application or answer questions. The deadline to apply for assistance is Jan. 18, 2022. You can go to kcc.ky.gov for updated information on DUA.
• A new popup licensing office in Mayfield, 355 Charles Drive, is now open.