LONDON (Kentucky Today) — The tornado that hit Pulaski, Laurel and Russell counties late Friday was an EF-4, with winds of 170 miles per hour, the National Weather Service said Tuesday.
The tornado that left 19 dead and eight in hospitals with injuries in the two counties cut a path of 55.6 miles long with a maximum of about a mile, the NWS said. An EF-4 tornado has three-second wind gusts of 166 to 200 mph.
An EF-4 is the fourth strongest category on the Enhanced Fujita Scale out of five.
It landed in Russell County at 10:33 p.m. and that made its way through Pulaski and Laurel counties before lifting around 11:56 p.m., according to the NWS office in Jackson, Ky. It was the deadliest tornado to come through the 33-county area that the Jackson office covers.
And it may not be the last of the bad weather. Mandatory evacuations in the hardest-hit neighbors in Laurel County took place Tuesday night in anticipation of more severe weather. The evacuations were put in place because it wa not safe to be near the debris with the high winds that are being predicted.
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office in London will be sheltering people during the upcoming storms, while a second shelter will be open at West London Baptist Church.
A large part of the western part of the state was under a tornado watch until 11 p.m.
The storms were bringing the possibility of scattered hail as big as tennis balls and wind gusts of up to 70 mph with the chance of a few tornadoes.
There are currently 20 people affected by the May 16-17 weather event in congregate shelters – 16 at Airbnbs and 65 in hotels. State officials are also working to get travel trailers set up at Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park.
Kentucky State Police troopers and Guard members are providing 24-hour security patrols in storm-impacted areas to prevent looting. Only residents and authorized personnel will be permitted in these areas. Currently, the KSP London Post has no reports of missing persons. If someone needs to report a missing person or request a wellness check, they should contact their local KSP post.
“I promise that we will be there for our people until every home and every life is rebuilt. And I want to thank all our heroic first responders for the work they’ve done over the past few days,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “This is another incredibly tough time for Kentucky. And it’s another reminder that life is short and it’s our duty to be kind and do good. As always – we will get through this together.”
Beshear was joined at the briefing by Director of the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management Eric Gibson, Laurel County Judge/Executive David Westerfield, London Mayor Randall Weddle, Laurel County Sheriff John Root and American Red Cross Bluegrass Chapter Executive Director Lynne Washbish, along with other local, state and federal officials or their representatives.
