Govind Tekale
A violent storm system tore through multiple states on Friday and Saturday, killing at least 21 people in Kentucky and Missouri. The powerful tornadoes flattened homes, flipped cars, and left hundreds of thousands without power.
Kentucky suffered the heaviest toll with 14 confirmed deaths, most in Laurel County, where a tornado reduced entire neighborhoods to splinters. Missouri reported seven fatalities, including five in St. Louis and two in Scott County.
“Lives have been changed forever here tonight,” said London Mayor Randall Weddle, surveying the destruction in Laurel County. “I have never personally witnessed what I’ve witnessed here tonight.”
The storm’s fury was captured in drone footage showing flattened homes, overturned vehicles, and vast areas of debris where neighborhoods once stood. First responders worked through the night searching through rubble for survivors.
In St. Louis, a tornado touched down Friday afternoon, damaging over 5,000 homes across about 20 square blocks. The twister struck the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo, which reported damage to a butterfly facility. Part of the historic Centennial Christian Church also collapsed, killing church volunteer Patricia Penelton.
“This is truly, truly horrific,” said St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer, who imposed an overnight curfew in the most damaged neighborhoods to prevent injuries and looting.
The tornado in St. Louis tore through the city between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m., with winds estimated at 100 mph. Some residents reported tornado sirens failed to activate, which officials promised to investigate.
Local hospitals treated dozens of injured people. Barnes-Jewish Hospital received between 50 and 60 storm victims, while St. Louis Children’s Hospital treated 15 patients with storm-related injuries.
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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear warned the death toll would likely rise as search efforts continue. “Please pray for all of our affected families,” he said on social media.
The storms were part of a larger weather system that spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, brought intense heat to Texas, and triggered dust storms near Chicago. Power outages affected about 640,000 homes and businesses across 12 states by Saturday morning.
For Laurel County resident Chris Cromer, who survived by taking shelter in a crawlspace with his wife and dog, the experience was surreal. “It’s one of those things that you see on the news in other areas, and you feel bad for people, then, when it happens, it’s just surreal,” he said. Though his home remains standing with a damaged roof and broken windows, the houses just two doors down were completely destroyed.
The destructive weather pattern isn’t finished. Weather experts warn that another round of severe storms is expected near the Texas-Mexico border, putting more than 20 million Americans at risk in the coming days.
This storm continues a troubling pattern for Kentucky, which has suffered multiple deadly weather events in recent years. In March 2025, flooding killed 24 people, while a December 2021 tornado outbreak killed 81 people in the western part of the state.
Emergency shelters have been established in affected communities as donations of food and supplies begin to arrive. Around 500 first responders in St. Louis alone are conducting building-by-building searches for anyone who might be trapped.
“This is going to be a very exhausting and extensive search pattern,” said St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, noting that every window in the city’s firehouse was blown out by the storm.
