Kentucky, Tornado and Virginia
Digest more
T ornadoes, heavy rain, and thunderstorms tore through parts of the Midwestern and Southern United States over the weekend, leaving dozens dead. The weather system, which began on Friday, produced more than two dozen tornadoes that ripped through parts of Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
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.
At least 21 people are dead in Kentucky and Missouri on Saturday after a night of severe weather and tornadoes battered cities large and small across the two states, with officials warning the death toll is likely to rise. At least 14 people have been killed in Kentucky while seven have been reported dead in Missouri, according to state officials.
Severe Midwest weather, including a tornado, leaves at least 14 dead in Kentucky; 7 dead in Missouri
The storms Friday afternoon tore roofs off buildings, blew out windows, ripped bricks off siding and yanked up trees and power lines.
Several people were killed and dozens more injured as powerful tornadoes and severe storms ripped across Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky and even parts of the Washington, D.C. metro area.
Millions of people in the Midwest and Great Plains are in the path of numerous severe thunderstorms expected on Monday. Kansas City is expecting winds up to 50 MPH and half-dollar-sized hail that could damage roofs or cars.
Authorities in Kentucky expect the death toll of 14 to increase as they continue to search the ravaged areas. Nine of the dead were in Laurel County, where a tornado hit just before midnight on May 16, the sheriff's office said. Many more were injured there.
Portsmouth-based Mercy Chefs, a disaster relief organization, is providing aid in Kentucky and Missouri following a deadly tornado outbreak in the region.
The EF-3 twister was part of a massive outbreak sequence on May 18 that also spawned tornadoes in Kentucky, killing at least 19 people in that state and leveling the small town of London, about 80 miles south of Lexington.