At least 30 people have been killed and many injured as devastating storms spawn tornadoes across the Midwest.
Officials in Laurel County, Kentucky, confirmed that a tornado “pummeled” the area late Friday night, “causing mass casualties”.
The twister that hit the Ohio Valley killed at least 23 people and injured dozens more, and rescue crews are still searching for survivors among the flattened homes and businesses.
“Multiple fatalities have been confirmed as a result of a tornado that pummeled Laurel County late Friday evening,” the Laurel County Fiscal Court wrote on Facebook.
“Destroyed homes and buildings are still being searched by emergency responders.”
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed on Saturday morning that the state’s original death toll of nine had increased to 14 and was expected to rise further.
“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,” he wrote in an email.
“Please pray for all of our affected families.”
According to London Mayor Randall Weddle, the death toll in Laurel County had reached at least 23 by Saturday afternoon.
Beshear declared a state of emergency ahead of the storms, warning of a “dangerous weather system,” with emergency crews and the Kentucky Guard on standby to prepare for devastation.
The National Weather Service had warned Midwestern residents to brace themselves for severe storms capable of producing baseball-sized hail and winds gusting over 75 mph.
The most significant damage was reported in Somerset and London, according to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, which confirmed that the tornado hit just before midnight Friday.
The twister ripped through two neighborhoods and the London Corbin Airport, killing at least nine people and injuring many more, according to reports.
Leslie, a London resident, told local emergency officials in a video how she and her family survived the terrifying storm that destroyed the majority of their home.
“(My daughter) got scared, so we went to the hallway,” she explained.
“And we were in there for about two minutes when my husband came running in and jumped on top of her because you could feel the air sucking in and it sounded like a train.”
“And then we saw stuff falling and next thing you knew, most of the house was gone.”
It’s all hands on deck to rescue as many people as we can and save lives.
Mitch McCoy St. Louis police spokesperson
“My family’s OK, I don’t know about everybody else,” she added, noting how she saw injured neighbors as they left to find safety.
“I have never personally witnessed what I‘ve witnessed here tonight. There’s a lot of devastation,” Weddle told CNN affiliate WKYT in the aftermath of the storms.
‘TRULY DEVASTATING’
A tornado struck Clayton, Missouri, around 2:30pm local time on Friday, killing at least seven people and injuring many more.
“This is truly, truly devastating,” St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said, confirming that five people died and over 5,000 homes were damaged.
As the storm raged, a portion of the Centennial Christian Church in St. Louis collapsed, trapping three people inside.
Battalion Chief William Pollihan of the City of St. Louis Fire Department confirmed that they were rescued, but one died from her injuries.
Patricia Penelton died inside the church, her son-in-law Stacy Clark told NPR, adding that she was a church volunteer and choir member.
Jeffrey Simmons Sr., who lives opposite the church, told the news outlet that he saw a weather alert on his phone just before the lights went out.
“Next thing you know, a lot of noise, heavy wind,” he said, recalling how he and his brother ran to the basement for safety.
“Everything was tore up,” he said after the storm had passed.
“Our priority is life, saving lives, and keeping people safe tonight,” Spencer said, with St. Louis Children’s Hospital confirming the treatment of ten patients, one of whom is in “critical condition.”
Sheriff Derick Wheetley reported the two other confirmed Missouri deaths on social media from Scott County, about 130 miles south of St. Louis.
“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,” according to him.
“The tornado moved from the eastern part of the county, leaving behind a trail of destruction, with multiple homes completely lost and areas left unrecognizable.”
The National Weather Service has confirmed that it is investigating reports of two tornadoes affecting the St. Louis area on Friday.
Photos from the aftermath show shells of homes, windows blown out and roofs torn off, as residents desperately search for their belongings.
The severity of the weather system knocked down power lines and trees, causing even more devastation, with thousands of homes in the Midwest cut off.
Tornadoes were reported across Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana as a result of the devastating weather system.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing, according to St Louis police spokesperson Mitch McCoy. “It’s all hands on deck to rescue as many people as we can and save lives,” he told NBC affiliate KSDK.
Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for parts of Alabama until early Saturday morning, as officials prepare for more devastation.
