Unexpected tornado leaves at least 1 dead, multiple injured in Kentucky
At least one person is dead and seven others injured after an unexpected tornado struck a rural Kentucky county early Friday morning as a line of severe storms moved eastward across the state.
The man was killed on Long Run Road in the Deep Creek area of Washington County and numerous homes and structures were severely damaged in the area, Washington County Sheriff Jerry Pinkston confirmed to CNN.
Photos shared on Facebook by the sheriff's office showed the devastating aftermath, with cars overturned, homes flattened and trees uprooted. The tornado was at least an EF1, according to a preliminary survey by the National Weather Service.
At least two homes were totally destroyed, Washington County Judge Executive Timothy Graves said at a Friday morning news conference.
'We were very fortunate this was located in a remote part of the county so it was a smaller area that was hit, but it was devastating,' Graves said.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear noted 'this level of severe weather was unexpected' in a post on X. 'We also expect to see additional storms today with Eastern and Southeastern Kentucky facing a risk of more severe weather. Please be alert this morning and stay safe.'
Storms in Kentucky had intensified quickly Friday morning. There was no tornado watch or severe thunderstorm watch in place ahead of time, and the Storm Prediction Center had not outlooked the area as even having low probabilities for tornadoes.
A severe thunderstorm warning that also noted tornadoes were possible was issued for Washington County at 6:46 a.m., followed by a tornado warning just three minutes later. Initial damage reports came in at around 6:53 a.m., suggesting there was only minutes of lead time before the tornado struck.
Kentucky has experienced a spate of dangerous severe weather this spring, from violent storms to devastating floods that have caused significant damage and loss of life.
Earlier this month, a powerful storm system swept across the central US, triggering multiple tornadoes that claimed 18 lives in Kentucky. Southeastern parts of the state were hit hardest, with widespread damage to buildings, vehicles, trees and infrastructure.
In April, the state faced historic flooding that killed seven people, damaged roads, and destroyed hundreds of homes, prompting evacuations and water rescues. The state had endured more flooding in February that left at least 12 people dead.
More than 1,000 tornadoes spawn across the United States in an average year, causing deaths, injuries and billions of dollars in damage.
This tornado season got off to an accelerated start, with the cumulative number of them thus far outpacing the 15-year average. At least 973 tornadoes have been reported so far this year in the contiguous United States.
Georgia also saw a dangerous tornado spin up in an Atlanta suburb Thursday afternoon as severe thunderstorms moved through the area.
The tornado destroyed the Locust Grove home of 'The Wire' actor Tray Chaney while the family was inside, Chaney said. His teenaged son, Malachi, was thrown about 300 feet into the woods, according to the actor.
'Thank God I'm still living. I survived the tornado, my son – he survived,' Chaney said in an emotional video posted on Instagram. 'I'm doing the video to let you know right now man, cherish life. Cherish life as much as you can.'
His son is in the ICU, Chaney said in a statement on Friday. He told CNN affiliate WANF the teen had broken several ribs and fractured a bone in his face. Malachi turns 19 on Sunday.
CNN Meteorologists Brandon Miller and Gene Norman and CNN's David Williamscontributed to this report.
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