Clay County Spared as Tornado Devastates Laurel and Pulaski Counties

While Clay County emerged from Friday night’s deadly storms with no reported damage, neighboring Laurel and Pulaski counties were not as fortunate. A powerful tornado tore through subdivisions in southeastern Kentucky, leaving at least 18 people dead and dozens injured. Officials say the death toll is expected to rise as search and recovery efforts continue.

“This was a devastatingly strong tornado that tore through a subdivision in the middle of the night, and that is the worst type of natural disaster,” Governor Andy Beshear said during a press conference Saturday afternoon in London. “We expect our number to potentially rise.”

Seventeen of the confirmed fatalities occurred in Laurel County, where entire subdivisions were flattened. Another death was reported in a rural area of eastern Pulaski County. The victims ranged in age from 25 to 76 and included 11 women and seven men. At least 10 others remain in critical condition in area hospitals.  The death toll is expected to rise.

Beshear, who toured the wreckage firsthand, was struck by the extent of the destruction. “No walls, no windows, just a pile that can’t be big enough to have been that house,” he said. “How, as a small neighborhood, do you move on when you’ve lost 10 people? And the answer is together.”

Officials believe a single powerful tornado caused the widespread damage across both counties. It was confirmed as an EF-3 in Somerset, where more than a dozen businesses on the city’s south side were damaged or destroyed. The tornado’s strength in Laurel County is still being evaluated.

There were also near misses, including a man in London who carried his 94-year-old mother to safety just before a tree crashed into her home. In another case, a fifth-wheel camper was flipped on its side by the wind.

With ambulances overwhelmed by the number of injured, Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip “PJ” Burnett said troopers began transporting victims in cruisers. National Guard units, local emergency crews, and state officials continue to assist in rescue and relief efforts.

State Senate President Robert Stivers, who grew up in a London neighborhood near one of the hardest-hit areas, joined Beshear for the tour. “There is no picture that can describe this,” Stivers said. Despite their political differences, both leaders stood united in support of the community.

“We are all here together and no politics to be played,” Stivers said. He also confirmed that the White House had reached out with $5 million in immediate aid. “The state won’t run out of money for this effort,” he added.

“Disaster is bipartisan,” said Bryan Mills, a field representative for U.S. Senator Rand Paul, noting that Senators Paul, Mitch McConnell, and Rep. Hal Rogers stand ready to support the recovery.

Beshear said he had requested a federal disaster declaration after speaking with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. While residents cannot yet apply for FEMA aid, the governor urged those with property damage to begin documenting their losses. “What people should know right now is document, document, document,” he said.

The National Guard and law enforcement remain stationed throughout affected areas to assist victims and deter looting. Laurel County Sheriff John Root said a shelter has been established at First Baptist Church in London for those who lost their homes.

Beshear echoed the call for unity and long-term support. “We are going to be here for this community today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, in the years to come to help people rebuild,” he said. “We just finished a tour. It’s hard to see homes that there is not a single wall left standing.”

As Kentucky grieves and begins to rebuild, search and recovery efforts continue in what Beshear called “one of the worst [disasters] in terms of damage” during his time as governor.