Severe storms killed at least 18 people in Kentucky on Friday as extreme weather swept through the Ohio Valley. Among the tornadoes to touchdown in Kentucky, a possible twister struck Laruel County and the city of London, killing 17. A fatality was also reported in Pulaski County, Kentucky.
Friday night's severe weather outbreak in Kentucky came hours after seven people were killed in likely tornadoes in Missouri.
According to the Laurel County Sheriff's Office, a tornado touched down just before midnight Friday in London, Kentucky. Authorities soon deemed it a "mass casualty event." The search for survivors continued into Saturday, and multiple severe injuries have also been reported. Officials have opened several shelters in the area.
Earlier on Friday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency as storms began moving across the state. He said Saturday morning he expects the number of fatalities to grow.
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"Kentucky, we are waking up to the news of multiple fatalities from last night’s storms. Please pray for those impacted. We will update as soon as we have more information," he said.
The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center reported 28 unconfirmed tornadoes on Friday, with twisters noted in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and New Jersey. There were also hundreds of reports of severe winds and hail.
The Midwest and Ohio Valley should get a reprieve from severe weather this weekend. However, strong storms are expected in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas on Saturday.
