A powerful outbreak of severe weather and tornadoes late Friday into Saturday has killed at least 28 people across multiple states, including Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois. The storm system tore through neighborhoods, crushed homes, and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands.
Kentucky Suffers Worst Damage, 21 Confirmed Dead
The hardest-hit area was southeastern Kentucky, where Laurel County alone reported 21 fatalities and dozens of injuries after a suspected tornado struck the town of London, about 75 miles south of Lexington.
Entire neighborhoods were flattened, and many residents were caught off guard in the middle of the night. First light revealed a scene of complete destruction—shredded homes, downed power lines, overturned vehicles, and furniture strewn across streets.
“We saw stuff falling, and the next thing you knew, most of the house was gone,” resident Leslie Bott told local reporters, describing how her family huddled in a hallway as the tornado hit.
Sheriff John Root said emergency crews continue to search for survivors and assess damage.
“We lift up those lives who were tragically cut short by the fury of the tornado,” he said. “This is a time for compassion and community.”
Missouri Storms Kill 7 in St. Louis Area
Earlier Friday evening, St. Louis, Missouri, faced its own deadly storm. Seven people were killed, and widespread damage was reported, including at Centennial Christian Church, where one person died after part of the building collapsed.
St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said the storm damaged around 20 city blocks, and more than 500 first responders worked through the night searching for trapped residents.
“Basically every window in the firehouse was blown out,” he told CNN.
Mayor Cara Spencer announced an overnight curfew in the most damaged neighborhoods and declared an emergency. Several shelters have been opened by the Red Cross.
Tornado Emergency in Southern Illinois
In Creal Springs, Illinois, the National Weather Service issued a rare tornado emergency around 6:30 p.m. CDT Friday. The alert warned of life-threatening conditions and complete destruction of mobile homes.
Flying debris and strong winds also triggered a dust storm in parts of Illinois, including Chicago, reducing visibility to ¼ mile at Midway Airport and causing significant flight delays and travel disruptions.
Dust Storms and Tornado Warnings Across the Midwest
Gusty winds from the storms caused dust to sweep across farmland, blanketing parts of Illinois and impacting travel. Meanwhile, downtown Baltimore was briefly placed under a tornado warning, though no confirmed tornadoes were reported there.
By Saturday morning, more than 650,000 homes and businesses remained without power, with Michigan, Missouri, and Kentucky among the hardest hit.
Travel Chaos and More Storms Ahead
Storms on Friday caused over 3,000 flight delays, according to FlightAware, affecting even airports outside of the storm zones. The delays rippled across the U.S. as storms disrupted schedules from coast to coast.
And the threat isn’t over yet — meteorologists warn that another round of destructive storms is expected to return Monday and Tuesday, with central U.S. states once again in the path of potential tornadoes and severe weather.