19 killed in long, powerful tornado that hit southern Kentucky; search for survivors continues

By CNN Newsource

Published May 19, 2025 10:02 AM

By WLKY Digital Team

LAUREL COUNTY, Kentucky (WLKY) — Powerful tornadoes tore through five states in the South and Midwest Friday night, one of which tore a frightening path across several Kentucky communities.

Storms started popping off to the west in Missouri in the early evening. That same supercell traveled more than 500 miles, bringing tornadoes all the way over to southeast Kentucky overnight.

Nearly 30 people died, most of which were in Kentucky, which has a current death toll of 19.

One of the hardest hit areas was London in Laurel County, about 75 miles south of Lexington, where at least 17 were killed: 10 women and seven men. Their ages ranged from 25 to 76.

And at least one woman died in neighboring Somerset/Pulaski County area, and a woman died in Russell County.

Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday that 10 Kentuckians are at UK Hospital being treated for injuries from the severe weather.

Three of those remain in critical condition, four have been upgraded to “fair” and three to “good” condition.

In Laurel County, emergency services are still searching for survivors amid the wreckage and the death toll there is expected to rise.

The storms flattened homes, leveled businesses and ripped trees and powerlines from the ground.

The storms knocked out power for 170,000 people across the state, and as of Saturday, there are more than 700 personnel on the ground helping to restore it. Check power outages: Duke | LG&E

The National Weather Service is surveying the damage to determine the paths of tornadoes and the strength.

They did say that there was one continues path from Russell to Pulaski to Laurel counties, with at least EF-2 to EF-3 damage found so far.

The governor declared a state of emergency ahead of the storms which allowed for the activation of the National Guard, 70 of which are in those two hard-hit counties.

Beshear was in Laurel County on Saturday to survey the damage, and the lieutenant governor is going to Somerset.

This is just one of more than a dozen major natural disasters Kentucky has faced during his governorship.

“We’ve had more than our fair share of natural disasters in Kentucky in recent years,” said Beshear. “And while we can’t know why Kentucky keeps getting hit and it feels tough for our people to be facing this level of pain and destruction – one thing we know here in the Commonwealth is how to come together, live our faith and values and help our neighbors in their time of need.”

He’s now been governor for at least 14 federally declared disasters, 13 of them weather.

“And this is one of the worst. It’s one of the worst in terms of the loss of human life. It’s one of the worst in terms of of damage. And it’s tough to look at one home that doesn’t have a shred left,” Beshear said.

Beshear said he has made an official request for a federal disaster declaration.

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