At least 18 dead in Kentucky, nearly 200,000 left without power after weekend storms
At least 18 dead in Kentucky, nearly 200,000 left without power after weekend storms
Kentucky’s governor announced the state would look into emergency housing options after storms and severe weather killed at least 18 people in Kentucky.
“We are hard at work this morning addressing the tragic damage and deaths caused by severe weather Saturday morning,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear wrote in a post on the social media site X. “We are securing emergency housing options and looking into sites for intermediate housing.”
On May 16, Beshear declared a state of emergency due to a weather system that was moving across the state.
All 18 confirmed killed were adults, ranging in age from 25 to 74, according to the Kentucky Governor’s Office’s press release. Some of the victims’ ages have not been disclosed, and only a few have been named publicly. At least another five deaths are suspected.
Most of the victims lived in Laurel County, but one person, a female whose age was not disclosed, lived in Pulaski County, which is around 133 miles southeast of Louisville, Kentucky. Laurel County is around 150 miles southeast of Louisville.
Seven deaths were also reported in Missouri, while two were reported in Virginia, according to USA TODAY’s previous reporting.
USA TODAY has contacted the Kentucky Governor’s Office for more information.
Power returns to most of Kentucky after storms: See map
On May 17, more than 69,000 people were left without power, according to Beshear. Immediately after the storm, however, that figure had jumped to over 172,000.
The number has since shrunk down to 26,517 as of May 18, according to USA TODAY data.
As of 10:30 a.m. ET, around 194,455 outages are being reported throughout five states, including Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Alabama and Arkansas, according to USA TODAY’s data.
Other states affected by severe weather
The severe weather was not isolated to Kentucky.
Preliminary reports of tornadoes were also made in the following states:
A tornado tore up the neighborhood off Saddle Road in London Kentucky on May 17, 2025.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Zac Anderson; USA TODAY
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.
(This is a developing story and will be updated.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 18 dead in Kentucky after severe storms hit states across country
