Severe storm systems have devastated parts of the U.S. Midwest and South, killing at least 23 people—14 of them in Kentucky—following what appears to be a catastrophic tornado event. Laurel County, Kentucky, bore the brunt of the destruction with nine confirmed fatalities after a tornado ripped through London, the county seat.
Governor Andy Beshear warned that the death toll is expected to rise as search-and-rescue efforts continue. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble, with residents like Kayla Patterson describing harrowing moments sheltering with her family as the storm roared like a “freight train.” Emergency shelters have been activated and aid is pouring in.
Though the National Weather Service has yet to officially confirm the tornado, early data suggests it ripped across rural areas and reached the London Corbin Airport just before midnight. Residents reported receiving alerts only 30 minutes prior to impact. Chris Cromer recounted fleeing with his wife and dog to a crawlspace as the storm tore off parts of their home.
This event follows a series of deadly weather disasters in Kentucky, including a 2021 tornado outbreak that killed 81 and historic flooding that left dozens more dead. The current storm system also affected Missouri, where five deaths were confirmed in St. Louis alone. Mayor Cara Spencer reported more than 5,000 homes affected and an overnight curfew in place for hard-hit neighborhoods.
A likely tornado also touched down in Clayton, Missouri, damaging the historic Centennial Christian Church and killing one of its longtime volunteers. In addition, tornadoes were reported in Virginia and Wisconsin, and dust storms were seen in Chicago, prompting the weather service’s first dust storm warning for the city.
This shifting tornado activity away from the traditional “Tornado Alley” underscores evolving climate threats across the U.S., particularly in more densely populated and wooded regions of the mid-South.
Source: Swifteradio.com
