Destructive storms, tornadoes across Midwest kill at least 26 people. Here's what to know.
At least 26 people have been killed by storms systems that swept across part of the U.S. Midwest and South, with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announcing Saturday that 18 of the deaths came in his state.
The storms were part of a weather system Friday that killed seven people in Missouri, and at least one person in Virginia. It also caused tornadoes in Wisconsin, brought punishing heat to Texas and temporarily enveloped parts of Illinois — including Chicago — in a pall of dust on an otherwise sunny day.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement Saturday evening that she spoke to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker "to offer federal resources and action for the deadly tornadoes and storms impacting Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois."
Noem noted they "discussed how while emergency management is best led by local authorities, we reinforced that DHS stands ready to take immediate action to offer resources and support."
Kentucky slammed by devastating tornado, mass casualty event
In Kentucky, Beshear said some 18 people were killed by severe weather — including a devastating tornado. The death toll is likely to rise, according to Beshear. Seventeen people were killed in Laurel County and one person in Pulaski County, Beshear confirmed. Another 10 people were hospitalized in critical condition, the governor said.
The Laurel County Fire Department one of those killed as Maj. Leslie Roger Leatherman, a firefighter who was "fatally injured" while responding to the tornado, the agency said.
"Major Leatherman was a dedicated public servant for 39 years, answering the call to protect and help others in their most critical time of need," the agency wrote on its Facebook page. "His courage, commitment, and sacrifice will never be forgotten."
Parts of two dozen state roads were closed, and some could take days to reopen, Beshear said. He also said most of the victims were in their 60s and 70s and the death toll could still rise.
"It's hard to see," the governor said after touring the impacted areas. "Homes that there isn't a single wall left standing. Some homes that have all four walls yet lost the person inside. You can not only see the destruction but feel it."
Kentucky authorities said the twister tore across Laurel County, causing structures to crumble and even flipping over a car on I-75. The tornado, which ripped across the largely rural area and extended to the London Corbin Airport, hit shortly before midnight.
"Lives have been changed forever here tonight. This is a time we come together, and we pray for this community," London Mayor Randall Weddle told WKYT-TV. "I have never personally witnessed what I've witnessed here tonight. There's a lot of devastation."
State Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson said hundreds of homes were damaged.
Kayla Patterson, her husband and their five children huddled in a tub in their basement in London, the county seat, as the tornado raged.
"You could literally hear just things ripping in the distance, glass shattering everywhere, just roaring like a freight train," she recalled. "It was terrible."
The family eventually emerged to the sounds of sirens and panicked neighbors. While their home was spared, others right behind it were demolished, Patterson said Saturday, as power tools buzzed in the background. The neighborhood was dotted with piles of lumber, metal sheeting, insulation and stray belongings — a suitcase, a sofa, some six-packs of paper towels.
Rescuers searched for survivors all night and into the morning, the sheriff's office said. An emergency shelter was set up at a high school, and donations of food and other necessities were arriving.
The storm was the latest severe weather to cause deaths and widespread damage in Kentucky. Two months ago at least 24 people died in a round of storms that swelled creeks and submerged roads.
Missouri church, zoo landmarks devastated by tornadoes
In St. Louis, Mayor Cara Spencer said five people died, 38 were injured and more than 5,000 homes were affected.
"The devastation is truly heartbreaking," she said at a news conference. An overnight curfew was to continue in the most damaged neighborhoods.
National Weather Service radar indicated a tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. local time Friday in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World's Fair and Olympic Games the same year.
Five people were killed in St. Louis and two in Scott County near Sloanville, Missouri State Police confirmed to CBS News. Sloanville is north of Sikeston. Scott County is located about 130 miles south of St. Louis.
Three people needed aid after part of the Centennial Christian Church crumbled, St. Louis Fire Battalion Chief William Pollihan told The Associated Press.
Stacy Clark said his mother-in-law Patricia Penelton died in the church. He described her as a very active church volunteer who had many roles, including being part of the choir.
Jeffrey Simmons Sr., who lives across from the church, heard an alert on his phone and then the lights went out.
"And next thing you know, a lot of noise, heavy wind," he said. He and his brother went into the basement. Later, he realized it was worse than he thought. "Everything was tore up."
Downed trees and stop lights also caused traffic gridlock during the Friday afternoon commute and officials urged people to stay home.
John Randle, a 19-year-old University of Missouri-St. Louis student, said he and his girlfriend were at the St. Louis Art Museum during the storm and were hustled into the basement with about 150 other people.
"You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by and people running," he said. "A lot of people were caught outside."
Christy Childs, a Saint Louis Zoo spokesperson, said in a text that the zoo would remain closed Saturday because of downed trees and other damage. Childs said all animals were safe and that there were no reports of significant injuries to staff, guests or animals.
"We can't definitively say whether or not it was a tornado - it likely was," National Weather Service meteorologist Marshall Pfahler said.
"Severe thunderstorms producing large to very large hail, damaging gusts and a couple of tornadoes are expected across the southern Plains," the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center on its website Saturday. The risk was especially high for north Texas.
A tornado touched down near the Federal Correctional Institution Marion in Marion, Illinois, a U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokesperson confirmed to CBS News. Although FCI Marion was not in the tornado's path, the staff housing was directly hit and sustained significant damage.
"As a temporary measure, the movement for certain incarcerated individuals has been suspended and accountability procedures are in place," the spokesperson said. One person was killed in Virginia when a tree fell on a vehicle on the GW Memorial Parkway, the U.S. Park Service confirmed to CBS News.
