On Sunday, following the devastating storms that killed over twenty-two people in the Midwest and South, residents of Missouri and Kentucky combed through tornado-ravaged areas and removed debris.
A destructive tornado ripped across Kentucky, destroying hundreds of homes and leaving many people without homes and cars. Southeastern Laurel County was the site of the majority of the fatalities, numbering at least 18. The death toll might yet go up, according to state officials, who have stated that ten more people were gravely injured.
“We are hard at work this morning addressing the tragic damage and deaths caused by severe weather,” posted Gov. Andy Beshear on X Sunday morning. “We are investigating potential locations for intermediate housing and working to secure options for emergency housing.”
On Friday, a weather system that included the most recent storms in Kentucky also killed two people in northern Virginia and seven in Missouri, according to authorities. Additionally, the system caused tornadoes in Wisconsin, scorching temperatures in Texas, and a brief dust cloud over areas of Illinois, including Chicago, on a beautiful day.
On Friday, as the hurricane made landfall in his brother’s neighborhood along Keavy Road—the epicentre of the devastation in this town of around 8,000 residents—Ryan VanNorstran gathered his brother’s big dogs in a first-floor closet. VanNorstran was watching over a residence.
As he entered the closet, he felt the house tremble, he added. A door from a different residence slammed through a window shortly after. The house lost all of its windows and his automobile was totaled. Despite pieces of wood piercing various sections of the roof, the house narrowly escaped severe harm. He perceived “a lot of screaming” upon entering the outside world.
At that same moment, I suppose it occurred to me that, effectively, I could do nothing. According to him, he had never experienced such a powerful force emanating from nature. I figured, “Either it will take me or everything will be all right” while I was in there.
Beshear announced that survey teams will be arriving in Kentucky on Monday to help the state petition for federal disaster assistance.
He warned that reopening portions of twenty state routes might take days.
All fifty states have recorded at least one tornado, and the average number of tornadoes in the United States is around 1,200 every year. In 2018, researchers discovered that the classic “Tornado Alley” in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas was seeing less deadly tornadoes than other sections of the mid-South, which is more densely populated and has more trees.
Five people were killed, 38 were injured, and over 5,000 houses were impacted, according to St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer.
When asked about the destruction, she stated, “The devastation is truly heartbreaking”.
Two people were killed, several more injured, and numerous homes were destroyed in a tornado that slammed Scott County, which is located around 130 miles south of St. Louis, according to Sheriff Derick Wheetley’s social media post.
The storms occurred following the Trump administration’s drastic reduction in manpower at National Weather Service locations, which caused concern among experts about the potential impact on catastrophe alerts, including tornadoes.
According to calculations obtained by The Associated Press from weather service employees, the vacancy rate in March 2025 was 25% at the Jackson, Kentucky office, which was responsible for the area around London, Kentucky. The Louisville, Kentucky office had a staffing deficit of 29%, and the St. Louis office had a staffing deficit of 16%. As of March, according to the personnel statistics, the meteorologist in charge of the Louisville office was similarly without a permanent boss.
According to experts, a vacancy rate of 20% or above is considered a major issue.
