UNDATED (05/19/25) — Cleanup and damage assessment continues in southeastern Kentucky after Friday night’s tornadoes and severe weather.
The London area appears to be hardest hit after a tornado ripped through the area late Friday night. The National Weather Service preliminarily confirmed at least an EF-3 tornado with wind speeds up to 140 miles per hour hit Pulaski County and Russell Counties, with surveys on-going in Laurel County, although the twister is also believed to have been an EF-3.
Image Captured From Video Taken Of London Area Tornado (Source: YouTube/WKYT)
As of Sunday night, Governor Andy Beshear said the death toll stands at 19, with 17 people killed in Laurel County, and one death in both Pulaski and Russell counties.
The National Weather Service in Paducah has confirmed an EF-3 tornado with top winds of 155 miles an hour touched down Friday evening at Morganfield in Union County. Damage survey teams determined the twister was on the ground for just under 15 minutes, travelling nearly 10 miles with a width of about 500 yards, damaging or destroying several homes. Four minor injuries were reported with the tornado.
An EF-2 tornado was also reported Friday night south of Hopkinsville.
