Nine tornadoes struck Missouri and Kentucky on May 16, including a deadly EF3 in Scott County that killed two people and destroyed homes. The National Weather Service confirmed tornadoes up to EF4 strength.

Portsmouth-based Mercy Chefs, a disaster relief organization, is providing aid in Kentucky and Missouri following a deadly tornado outbreak in the region.

Dozens of people lost their lives after tornadoes swept through Kentucky and Missouri over the weekend as the communities impacted were forced to grapple

On May 17, more than 69,000 people were left without power, according to Beshear. Immediately after the storm, however, that figure had jumped to over 172,000. The number has since shrunk down to 26,517 as of May 18, according to USA TODAY data.

Mercy Chefs, a Virginia-based disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization, is responding to the devastating tornadoes in Kentucky and Missouri.