At least 27 people have died following a series of severe storms and tornadoes that struck parts of the U.S. Midwest and South, with 18 fatalities in Kentucky alone. Among the victims was Maj. Roger Leslie Leatherman, a 39-year veteran of the Pulaski County Fire Department, who died while responding to the emergency. The majority of Kentucky’s deaths occurred in Laurel County, where the tornado left widespread devastation.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed the toll and warned it could rise further. Ten people are reported to be in critical condition, and more than two dozen state roads have been closed. “We need the whole world right now to be really good neighbors to this region,” Beshear said during a briefing on Saturday. Emergency crews have been working through the night and into the morning to search for survivors and clear debris.
Families Take Shelter as Tornadoes Destroy Homes
In the town of London, Kentucky, resident Kayla Patterson, her husband, and their five children took shelter in a basement bathtub as the tornado passed overhead. “You could literally hear just things ripping in the distance, glass shattering everywhere, just roaring like a freight train,” she recalled. Although their home was spared, others nearby were reduced to rubble. Local authorities established an emergency shelter at a high school, and donations have begun arriving for those displaced.
Another resident, Chris Cromer, received an alert on his phone just 30 minutes before the storm hit. He and his wife fled to a relative’s crawlspace, as theirs was too small. “We could hear and feel the vibration of the tornado coming through,” said Cromer, who lost part of his roof and had several windows shattered. His neighbors’ homes were destroyed. “It makes you be thankful to be alive, really,” he said of the aftermath.
Friday was a highly active day, with severe storms and tornadoes stretching from Missouri all the way to Kentucky. Marion, IL, was among the areas severely impacted, as tornadoes tore through the region, causing significant damage pic.twitter.com/v7ws3qRQJT
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) May 17, 2025
Broader Impacts Across Multiple States
The same weather system also caused deaths in Missouri, where seven people were killed, including five in St. Louis, and two others in northern Virginia. In Missouri’s Scott County, a tornado killed two people and damaged several homes. In St. Louis, Mayor Cara Spencer reported that 38 people were injured and over 5,000 homes were affected. An overnight curfew was imposed in the hardest-hit areas.
At Forest Park in St. Louis, a likely tornado between 2:30 and 2:50 p.m. damaged trees and structures, including part of the Centennial Christian Church, where Patricia Penelton, a longtime choir member, died. At the St. Louis Zoo, falling trees damaged the butterfly facility. Staff were able to secure most of the insects, which were temporarily housed in a suburban conservatory.
Tornadoes ripped through Kentucky and the Midwest, leaving at least 27 dead and dozens more injured. As survivors recount harrowing escapes, officials warn the danger isn’t over yet.
Weather Service Strain Amid Staffing Shortages
The storms occurred amid staffing challenges at National Weather Service (NWS) offices. According to internal data reviewed by the Associated Press, offices in Jackson and Louisville, Kentucky, and St. Louis, Missouri, had vacancy rates ranging from 16% to 29% as of March 2025. The Louisville office lacked a permanent director at the time. Meteorological experts warn that vacancy rates over 20% can significantly hinder emergency response and forecasting capabilities.
Forecasters indicated that additional supercell activity was likely in Texas and Oklahoma, with conditions expected to spread into Arkansas, Louisiana, and the central High Plains. Risks include large hail up to 3.5 inches, damaging wind gusts, and further tornadoes. The storm system has also brought extreme heat to Texas and thick dust to parts of Illinois, including Chicago, in what meteorologists describe as a highly volatile pattern.
