Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says at least 14 people are dead after tornadoes, wind and hail tore across Kentucky Friday evening into Saturday morning. Beshear said he expects the death toll from the storms to rise.
The Southeastern Kentucky cities of London and Somerset appear to be especially hard hit by tornadic damage. Somerset Mayor Alan Keck declared a local state of emergency Saturday morning, and London Mayor Randall Weddle told Lexington TV station WKYT that “lives have been changed forever here tonight.”
Beshear had declared a statewide state of emergency on Friday ahead of the “dangerous” storm system. Beshear wrote on X that five counties had declared a local state of emergency as well.
“This is another tough morning for Kentucky after a night of deadly weather,” Beshear said in posts on X, mentioning he has spoken with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials. “The devastation from last night’s deadly weather is heartbreaking, but we are going to make sure we get the support needed to recover and rebuild together.”
Social media users on Facebook and X posted pictures of what appears to have been a significant overnight tornado in Southeastern Kentucky. South Kentucky RECC, a local electricity cooperative, stated on Facebook that its building in Somerset took a “major hit.” The London-Corbin airport in Laurel County posted on Facebook drone footage of demolished airport buildings, along with nearby homes sustaining damage as well.
Over 90,000 Kentuckians across the state, from west to southeast, had lost power as of Saturday morning, according to the website PowerOutages.us that compiles power outage data.
Beshear said in an X post the Red Cross had available space at First Baptist Church of London and that more information on other shelter space would be shared when available.
State lawmakers from the area issued this joint statement from Sen. Brandon Storm, who represents Laurel County, Sen. Rick Girdler, who represents Pulaski County, and Senate President Robert Stivers, who represents multiple southeastern Kentucky counties:
“This is one of the hardest days our communities and region have faced. Lives have been lost. Families have been shattered. Homes and businesses have been destroyed. Sadly, we expect the loss to grow as search and rescue efforts continue.
“The destruction in Laurel and Pulaski counties is overwhelming, but so is the strength of the people who call this place home. Neighbors are already showing up to help one another, and first responders continue working around the clock.
“Local and state officials are working to get immediate help to those in need. If you’re looking for a way to help, please do. Every act of kindness makes a difference.“Our hearts are heavy today, but our commitment to helping these communities rebuild is even stronger.”
This article is republished under a Creative Commons license from Kentucky Lantern, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com. Follow Kentucky Lantern on Facebook and Twitter.
Liam Niemeyer covers government and policy in Kentucky and its impacts throughout the Commonwealth for the Kentucky Lantern. He most recently spent four years reporting award-winning stories for WKMS Public Radio in Murray.
