At least 21 dead after tornado-spawning storms move across central US
CNN
By Hanna Park and Matt Rehbein, CNN
(CNN) — A violent, tornado-spawning storm system tore across the central US, leaving at least 21 people dead in Missouri and southeastern Kentucky as it cut a path of destruction across several states.
The 14 deaths in Kentucky come on the heels of fatalities reported hours earlier on Friday in the St. Louis area, which saw widespread destruction. Seven people were reported dead in Missouri.
In all, large tornadoes have been reported in Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana.
The storms damaged homes and downed power lines across the Midwest and Great Lakes, brought by the same system that produced destructive storms and tornadoes Thursday.
More than 700,000 homes and businesses across a dozen states were without power as of early Saturday, with Missouri and Kentucky among the hardest hit, according to Poweroutage.us.
It’s part of a multi-day spate of widespread severe weather that will stretch into early next week.
As the system that generated deadly tornadoes in Missouri and Kentucky loses strength, another round of severe storms is expected near the border with Mexico, thrusting more than 20 million Americans across the Southwest in the risk zone.
Southeastern Kentucky hit hard
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said on social media Saturday at least 14 people had died there “but sadly, this number is expected to grow as we receive more information. Please pray for all of our affected families.”
Earlier Saturday, Laurel County sheriff’s spokesperson Deputy Gilbert Acciardo had reported nine deaths after a possible tornado in southeastern Kentucky.
Video from Laurel County showed first responders descending on the Sunshine Hills area, a barren landscape of twisted cars, downed trees and piles of debris.
Deaths were also announced by London Mayor Randall Weddle, CNN affiliate WKYT reported. London is about 75 miles south of Lexington, in Kentucky’s Laurel County.
“I have never personally witnessed what I‘ve witnessed here tonight. There’s a lot of devastation,” Weddle told WKYT.
CNN reached out to emergency officials for more details about how many have died.
The National Weather Service reported a radar-confirmed, “large, extremely dangerous” tornado sweeping east across lower Kentucky shortly after midnight.
Video and photos from southeastern Kentucky show a trail of destruction that began in Pulaski County before moving east into neighboring Laurel County.
Earlier, the Laurel County Fiscal Court posted videos of widespread damage to buildings, cars, trees and infrastructure in the wake of the possible tornado.
Police in Corbin, south of London, were responding to mutual aid calls for tornado victims and described the devastation as overwhelming.
“Stop and pray for Laurel County residents and victims of the tornado that touched down there,” the department wrote.
Heavy damage can be seen in Somerset, a city in Pulaski County to the west of London, where emergency officials urged residents to stay indoors.
“The southern side of the city has been hit by a possible tornado!” the Somerset Fire Department posted on social media around 11 p.m. Friday. “Please avoid the area, poles and power lines are down!”
Pulaski County Judge Executive Marshall Todd has declared a state of emergency, and crews are working on cleanup efforts, county spokesperson John Alexander told CNN.
At least 7 killed in Missouri
A storm that produced a devastating tornado in the St. Louis area Friday afternoon has left at least seven people dead and many others injured, according to local authorities.
The National Weather Service had warned of an “extremely dangerous tornado” tracking through part of St. Louis.
It’s unclear how many were injured in the St. Louis area. Fifteen patients were sent to St. Louis Children’s Hospital, while Barnes-Jewish Hospital received another 20 to 30 people injured in the storm, hospital spokesperson Laura High told the Associated Press.
CNN reached out to the hospitals about the number of injured and their conditions.
“This is truly a lot of damage,” St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said. Several buildings have collapsed and “a lot of roofs are missing,” as a result of the storm.
“Basically, every window” in the city’s firehouse was “blown out” by the storm, which damaged around 20 square blocks of the city, said St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson.
About 500 first responders are working to conduct a “very extensive search of all these buildings” overnight, Jenkerson said. “This is going to be a very exhausting and extensive search pattern right now.”
Some of the tornado sirens did not go off, which will be investigated, said Sarah Russell, commissioner of the city’s emergency management agency. The focus now is on life-saving measures in the community, she added.
More than 130 miles to the south, in Missouri’s Scott County, two others were killed during Friday’s storms, Sheriff Derick Wheetley announced on social media.
Several others were taken to medical facilities, “with injuries ranging from minor to severe,” the sheriff added.
“The tornado moved from the eastern part of the county, leaving behind a trail of destruction, with multiple homes completely lost and areas left unrecognizable,” the sheriff said.
Damaging storm risks persist for days
As the system that hit Missouri and Kentucky weakens and pushes across the Southeast, another round of severe storms threatens the Great Plains and Texas.
The threat of level three out of five severe storms will impact the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex Saturday evening, with large hail, damaging winds and the potential for tornadoes.
A multi-day outbreak of severe weather stretches through Tuesday in the Great Plains and the lower Mississippi River Valley.
The Plains will remain the main focus of severe weather on Sunday and Monday as well, with damaging storms possible in much of Oklahoma and Kansas. The severe thunderstorm threat will then shift back into parts of the Mississippi Valley on Tuesday.
The-CNN-Wire
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CNN’s Ray Sanchez and Scott Withers contributed to this report.
