More severe weather remains possible in the deep South and Southeast
***Update:
LONDON, Ky. (AP) — Storm systems sweeping across parts of the U.S. Midwest and South have left at least 23 people dead, many of them in Kentucky, where what appeared to be a devastating tornado crumbled buildings and flipped over a car on an interstate.
In Kentucky, some 14 people were killed by severe weather, and the number of lives lost is likely to rise, according to Gov. Andy Beshear. Local authorities in Laurel County, in the state's southeast, said nine people were killed after a tornado touched down.
Laurel County resident Chris Cromer said he got the first of two tornado alerts on his phone around 11:30 p.m. or so, about a half-hour before the tornado struck. He and his wife grabbed their dog, jumped in their car and scrambled to the crawlspace at a relative’s nearby home because the couple's own crawlspace is small.
“We could hear and feel the vibration of the tornado coming through,” said Cromer, 46.
His home is intact, though a piece of the roof got ripped off and windows were broken. A house two doors down is destroyed, along with others in the Sunshine Hills neighborhood, Cromer said.
“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, describing a landscape of destruction. "It makes you be thankful to be alive, really.”
Rescuers were searching for survivors all night and into the morning, the sheriff's office said. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.
The National Weather Service hadn't yet confirmed that a tornado struck, but meteorologist Philomon Geertson said it was likely. It ripped across the largely rural area and extended to the London Corbin Airport shortly before midnight.
“Lives have been changed forever here tonight," London Mayor Randall Weddle told WKYT-TV.
In a neighborhood outside town, piles of lumber, metal sheeting, insulation and stray belongings — a suitcase, a six-pack of paper towels — were strewn along a residential road. Yet some other areas were unscathed.
The storm was the latest severe weather to cause deaths and widespread damage in Kentucky. Two months ago, at least 24 people died in a round of storms that swelled creeks and submerged roads. Hundreds of people were rescued, and most of the deaths were caused by vehicles getting stuck in high water.
Strange weather
A dust storm warning was issued around the Chicago area Friday night. The weather service said a wall of dust extended along a 100-mile (161-kilometer) line from southwest of Chicago to northern Indiana that severely reduced visibility.
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Laurel County, KY, now reporting 20 lives lost in the twister there. (WKYT-TV)
(AP) - Laurel County resident Chris Cromer said he got the first of two tornado alerts on his phone around 11:30 p.m. or so, about a half-hour before the tornado struck. He and his wife grabbed their dog, jumped in their car, went to a relative's nearby home and got into a crawlspace.
“We could hear and feel the vibration of the tornado coming through,” said Cromer, 46.
His home is intact, though a piece of the roof got ripped off and windows were broken. A house two doors down is destroyed, along with others in the Sunshine Hills neighborhood, Cromer said.
“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, describing a landscape of destruction. "It makes you be thankful to be alive, really.”
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Storm systems sweeping across the Midwest have left at least 21 dead, including nine people killed after a tornado sparked what authorities called a mass casualty event in southeastern Kentucky.
In Kentucky, some 14 people have been killed by severe weather — including a devastating tornado — in Kentucky, and the death toll is likely to rise, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.
“Kentucky, we’re starting today with the tough news that we lost at least 14 of our people to last night’s storms, but sadly, this number is expected to grow as we receive more information. Please pray for all of our affected families,” Beshear said Saturday in a post on social media platform X.
Earlier, authorities in Laurel County said nine people were killed after a tornado touched down in southeastern Kentucky.
Kentucky authorities said there were also severe injuries when a twister tore across Laurel County late Friday, causing structures to crumble and even flipping over a car on I-75.
“The search is continuing in the damaged area for survivors,” the office of Sheriff John Root said in a statement posted on social media. An emergency shelter was set up at a local high school and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.
“The outpouring from our community has been heartwarming. We are continuing to accept donations,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Storm systems sweeping across the Midwest have left at least 16 dead, including nine people killed after a tornado sparked a mass casualty event in southeastern Kentucky.
Kentucky authorities said there were also severe injuries when a twister tore across Laurel County late Friday.
“The search is continuing in the damaged area for survivors,” the office of Sheriff John Root said in a statement posted on social media.
In Missouri, meanwhile, at least seven people died and authorities were searching from building to building for people who were trapped or hurt after severe storms including at least one possible tornado.
The storms were part of a severe weather system Friday that also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, left several hundred thousand customers without power in the Great Lakes region and brought a punishing heat wave to Texas.
In Missouri, the storms Friday afternoon tore roofs off buildings, blew out windows, ripped bricks off siding and yanked up trees and power lines. St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer confirmed five deaths in her city and said more than 5,000 homes were affected.
“This is truly, truly devastating,” Spencer said, adding that the city was in the process of declaring an emergency and an overnight curfew Friday had been put into place in the neighborhoods with the most damage.
The number of people injured was not immediately known. Barnes-Jewish Hospital received 20 to 30 patients from the storm with some in serious condition and most expected to be discharged by Friday night, according to hospital spokesperson Laura High.
St. Louis Children's Hospital received 15 patients with two of them expected to remain in the hospital into the weekend, she said.
National Weather Service radar indicated a tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympic Games the same year.
At Centennial Christian Church, City of St. Louis Fire Department Battalion Chief William Pollihan told The Associated Press that three people had to be rescued after part of the church crumbled. One of those people died.
Stacy Clark said his mother-in-law Patricia Penelton died in the church. He described her as a very active church volunteer who had many roles, including being part of the choir.
Jeffrey Simmons Sr., who lives across from the church, heard an alert on his phone and then the lights went out.
“And next thing you know, a lot of noise, heavy wind,” he said. He and his brother went into the basement. Later, he realized it was worse than he thought. “Everything was tore up.”
Downed trees and stop lights also caused traffic gridlock during the Friday afternoon commute and officials urged people to stay home.
The upper stories of the Harlem Taproom's brick building were demolished when the storm came through, leaving piles of bricks around the outside. About 20 people were inside, but they huddled in the back of the building and none were hurt, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
John Randle, a 19-year-old University of Missouri-St. Louis student, said he and his girlfriend were at the St. Louis Art Museum during the storm and were hustled into the basement with about 150 other people.
They could hear tree branches and hail hitting the building’s windows and Randle went up a flight of stairs to the main entrance for about 10 seconds, he said.
"You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by and people running,” he said. “A lot of people were caught outside.”
Christy Childs, a Saint Louis Zoo spokesperson, said in a text that the zoo would remain closed Saturday because of downed trees and other damage. Childs said all animals were safe and that there were no reports of significant injuries to staff, guests or animals.
“We can’t definitively say whether or not it was a tornado — it likely was,” National Weather Service meteorologist Marshall Pfahler said.
A tornado struck in Scott County, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south of St. Louis, killing two people, injuring several others and destroying multiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetley wrote on social media.
“Our first responders acted swiftly, even while the tornado was still active, putting themselves in harm’s way to provide immediate assistance and care to those injured,” he said.
The weather service warned of a rare tornado emergency around Marion, Illinois, on Friday evening, saying a tornado had been confirmed and was life-threatening. Reports of damage and injuries were not immediately available.
A dust storm warning was issued around the Chicago area Friday night. The weather service said a wall of dust extended along a 100-mile (161-kilometer) line from southwest of Chicago to northern Indiana that severely reduced visibility.
Texas hit by heat wave
Texas faced searing heat. A heat advisory was issued for San Antonio and Austin, with temperatures at a blistering 95 F (35 C) to 105 (40.5 C). Parts of the southern East Coast, from Virginia to Florida, battled with heat in the 90s (32-37 C).
The National Weather Service Office for Austin/San Antonio said Friday the humidity coming in over the weekend was expected to make temperatures feel hotter.
“There are concerns of heat exhaustion for people that aren’t taking proper precautions when they’re outdoors,” meteorologist Jason Runyen said, advising those affected to take breaks and stay hydrated.
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Associated Press writers Haya Panjwani in Washington, D.C., Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, and Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington, contributed to this story.