US President Joe Biden has declared a major federal disaster in Kentucky in the aftermath of a string of deadly tornadoes.
He approved a request which had been formally made by the state’s governor, paving the way for extra aid to be provided.
At least 48 people were killed across multiple states after twisters destroyed homes and businesses on Friday, according to local authorities.
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear previously said the number of fatalities was at least 70 but the figure has since been revised.
Authorities said they have little hope of finding survivors under rubble – but rescue workers continued to scour fields of debris.
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Kentucky was the worst-hit state by far, but at least 14 people were killed in four other states.
Six people died after an Amazon distribution centre was hit in Edwardsville, Illinois.
Four lost their lives in Tennessee, while two others died in Arkansas, where a nursing home was destroyed, and there were two further fatalities in Missouri.
President Biden had declared the tornadoes a federal emergency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been assisting in the aftermath as thousands face housing, food, water and power shortages.
But under an emergency declaration, assistance is limited to $5m, according to the agency’s website.
A major disaster declaration has no such limit and “provides a wide range of federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including funds for both emergency and permanent work,” said the website.
Ms Criswell has called the magnitude of the tornadoes “historic.”
A tornado that carved a path of destruction in Kentucky touched down for a potentially record-breaking distance of more than 200 miles.
As part of FEMA’s response, it was opening up shelters and sending teams and supplies, including 30,000 meals and 45,000 litres of water.
One of the worst hit places was the town of Mayfield, where a candle factory was destroyed along with the fire and police stations.
The governor said about 40 workers were rescued at the factory. About 110 people were believed to have been inside when it was struck.
In the town with a population of about 10,000 people, homes were flattened or missing roofs, and large trees had been uprooted.
Mayfield resident Jamel Alubahr, 25, said his three-year-old nephew died and his sister was in the hospital with a skull fracture after being stuck under the rubble of their home.
“It all happened in the snap of a finger,” said Mr Alubahr, who is now staying with another sister in Mayfield.
Another resident Laurie Lopez, 53, was sent a tornado alert on her phone about 20 minutes before her whole house started to shake.
She took cover in a hallway with her 19-year-old daughter and their two dogs.
She said: “Soon the (window) glass just burst in, we could hear it flying. I have it like all over my bedroom.”
The tornado “sounded like a freight train going through a brick house,” she added.
The front of their two-storey home appeared to have completely collapsed and part of the roof came down on to the lawn.