Kentucky was hit hard Friday night as deadly tornadoes ripped through the state, killing at least 14 people. One of the worst-hit areas was the city of London, where a tornado struck just before midnight, leaving nine people dead and several injured. Authorities have called it a “mass casualty event.”
This comes just a day after Missouri reported four deaths from similar storms. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm system and said on Saturday morning that the death toll is expected to rise.
“It looked like a bomb went off”
For families in Kentucky, the damage is personal. Homes are gone. Power lines are down. Survivors are still being pulled from the rubble. What’s worse—many were asleep when the storm hit. Some barely had time to grab their kids or make it to the basement.
Shelters have been opened in affected areas like Laurel County. Emergency crews and volunteers are still searching through debris.
And while some states get 24-hour cable coverage for light snow, it seems rural Kentucky gets 10 seconds on the national news—even after mass fatalities.
Why Kentucky is reeling
According to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, the tornado that hit London, Kentucky, touched down late Friday night. The storm tore through homes and neighborhoods with terrifying speed.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center recorded at least 28 possible tornadoes across five states Friday—including Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, and Kentucky. Hundreds of reports also came in about damaging winds and hail.
By morning, the worst scenes were from Kentucky.
The Midwest storm system marches on
Though Kentucky and much of the Midwest will get a break over the weekend, other parts of the South are still under threat. On Saturday, severe storms were expected in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
If you’re thinking, “Didn’t we just go through this?”—yes. Tornado season is here, and it’s coming in hot.
Gov. Beshear’s early emergency declaration may have saved lives, but even he admitted: “We expect the number of fatalities to grow.” It’s a grim reminder that nature doesn’t care how prepared you think you are.
We’ve gotten so used to “historic storms” that the word barely means anything now. But for those in Kentucky who lost homes—or family—this isn’t history. It’s now.
Meanwhile, many across the state woke up Saturday morning to downed trees, blocked roads, and shattered windows. Some even to silence—because their phones had no service, and their power was out.
And yet, there’s resilience.
Neighbors are helping neighbors. Churches have opened their doors. Shelters are feeding people. Volunteers are showing up.
This is Kentucky. We may get knocked down—but we don’t stay down.
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