Rare tornado emergencies, widespread destruction, and massive power outages follow deadly storms sweeping through Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, and beyond
By Brian Lada, AccuWeather Meteorologist and Senior Content Editor
Published: May 17, 2025 | Updated: May 17, 2025, 11:16 PM ICT
A devastating wave of severe weather tore across the central and eastern United States late Friday into Saturday, unleashing deadly tornadoes, destructive winds, and catastrophic damage. As of Saturday evening, at least 28 people are confirmed dead, dozens more have been hospitalized with serious injuries, and more than 650,000 homes and businesses remain without power.
The most lethal impact came from tornadoes that ripped through southeastern Kentucky, where authorities confirmed 21 fatalities in Laurel County alone. Local officials described the storm as among the most violent in recent memory, with dozens of residents suffering severe injuries. A suspected tornado struck the town of London, Kentucky, late Friday night, obliterating entire neighborhoods and transforming family homes into mangled piles of debris.
Communities Leveled, Survivors Share Harrowing Tales
At daybreak Saturday, aerial and ground images from the hardest-hit areas showed a grim landscape: flattened homes, snapped power poles, overturned vehicles, and household belongings scattered for miles.
“We were in the hallway — the only enclosed space we have — for maybe two minutes,” said Leslie Bott, a Laurel County resident. Speaking from the wreckage of one of her family’s destroyed vehicles, she recounted the terrifying moment the storm struck. “My husband and son came running in and jumped on top of her [our daughter] as the air was sucking everything out. It sounded like a freight train… and the next thing he said, most of the house was gone.”
Emergency responders continue to comb through the rubble in search of survivors and assess the full scope of the damage. Many rescue workers remain in the field around the clock.
“We mourn the lives so tragically taken by the storm and lift up those who were injured,” said Laurel County Sheriff John Root. “We are calling on the strength of our communities, and the compassion of our neighbors, to come together and provide support for those affected.”
Massive Power Outages Spread Across Dozen States
According to data from PowerOutage.us, more than 700,000 customers across 12 states initially lost power as a result of the storms, with the hardest-hit areas being Kentucky, Missouri, and Michigan. By Saturday morning, approximately 650,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity, including nearly 160,000 customers in Michigan still recovering from a previous night of violent storms.
Missouri and Illinois See Major Damage, Seven Dead in St. Louis
Tornadoes also left a deadly mark in Missouri, where seven people lost their lives in the St. Louis area. One of the twisters hit during Friday’s evening rush hour, toppling buildings and causing widespread chaos throughout the city.
Centennial Christian Church was among the damaged structures. St. Louis Fire Department Battalion Chief William Pollihan confirmed that three individuals had to be rescued from the partially collapsed building, but tragically, one of them did not survive.
Nineteen-year-old student John Randle, a University of Missouri-St. Louis student, described the chaos to the Associated Press. “You could see the doors flying open, tree branches flying by and people running… I took shelter in the basement of the St. Louis Art Museum with my girlfriend and about 150 others.”
The Saint Louis Zoo announced it would remain closed on Saturday to assess storm damage but confirmed that all animals were safe.
“The level of devastation we’ve seen in St. Louis is heartbreaking,” said Mayor Cara Spencer in a post on X (formerly Twitter). She announced an overnight curfew in the most heavily affected neighborhoods and said the city was in the process of declaring a state of emergency.
Emergency Declarations and Ongoing Rescue Efforts
According to St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson, “basically every window” in one of the city’s firehouses was shattered. Around 20 square blocks of the city sustained damage, prompting the deployment of over 500 first responders for building-by-building search and rescue operations.
“This is going to be an exhausting and intensive search effort,” Jenkerson said. Shelters have been opened by the Red Cross across the St. Louis metro area to house displaced residents.
In Blodgett, Missouri, a small town 120 miles southeast of St. Louis, resident Gina Gooch recalled the terrifying moment a tornado struck: “I went into this little pantry because I have no basement, and all I could hear was trees crashing down.”
Storm chasers reported the tornado lifting debris high into the air as it crossed Interstate 55 during the Friday evening commute, leaving little time for drivers to escape.
Rare Tornado Emergency Issued in Southern Illinois
One of the most concerning moments of the outbreak occurred near Creal Springs, Illinois, where the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a rare tornado emergency — a high-level warning issued only in life-threatening situations.
“Flying debris may be deadly to those caught without shelter,” the emergency alert warned. “Mobile homes will be destroyed.”
Farther east, downtown Baltimore experienced a tornado warning Friday evening, though it remains unclear whether a tornado actually touched down. In the Midwest, dust storms caused by strong winds blowing over freshly plowed fields led to near-zero visibility at Chicago Midway Airport, where wind gusts peaked at 60 mph. These weather conditions caused over 3,000 flight delays nationwide, according to FlightAware.
More Severe Weather Expected in the Days Ahead
Meteorologists warn that the threat is far from over. Another round of dangerous weather is forecast for early next week, with Monday and Tuesday bringing another opportunity for damaging storms and tornadoes across the already hard-hit central United States.
Communities are being urged to stay alert, review emergency plans, and be ready to take shelter quickly as conditions change.
If you or your family have been impacted by the storms, visit the American Red Cross website or contact your local emergency management office for available resources and shelter information.