Severe storms and tornadoes have struck several areas in the Midwest and South of the United States since Friday evening. The devastation has resulted in at least 27 deaths, with dozens injured, and thousands of buildings damaged, leading to power outages for over a million households and businesses.
The hardest-hit areas by the tornadoes are concentrated in Kentucky and Missouri. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office in Kentucky reported that multiple tornadoes swept through two neighborhoods in the county and the area of London Corbin Airport, causing significant casualties and destruction along the way.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced on Saturday evening that more than 20 sections of roads in the state have been closed, with 18 confirmed fatalities so far and the death toll expected to rise further.
Missouri and Virginia reported 7 and 2 deaths respectively. In the eastern part of Missouri, specifically in St. Louis, over five thousand residential homes were damaged, roofs were torn off, and many utility poles collapsed onto roads. Rescue teams are still going door-to-door in severely affected areas to search for survivors.
The National Weather Service and local authorities have issued warnings that the extreme weather is not yet over. It is forecasted that the Southern Plains region will continue to face strong winds, large hail, and new tornado threats over the weekend, highlighting the ongoing danger posed by the severe weather conditions.