Tornado Outbreak Leaves 28 Dead and Up to $11 B in Damage Across Central US

At least 28 people lost their lives and hundreds were injured as more than 70 tornadoes ripped from Missouri to Kentucky between May 16 and 19. Hard-hit Laurel County, Kentucky, saw whole neighborhoods reduced to splinters, while an EF3 twister carved through 20 city blocks in St. Louis, toppling power lines and shattering every window in a local firehouse. Winds, giant hail, and widespread outages stretched across twelve states, briefly cutting electricity to 700,000 homes and businesses.

AccuWeather economists peg the economic toll at $9 billion to $11 billion, factoring in smashed buildings, ruined crops, supply-chain snarls, and days of flight delays. Search-and-rescue teams spent the weekend combing debris for survivors as Kentucky’s governor confirmed nineteen fatalities in Laurel County alone. “It sounded like a freight train,” one London resident recalled after her family huddled in a hallway moments before their house vanished.

Forecasters warn the threat isn’t over: with more than 820 preliminary tornado reports logged so far, 2025 is pacing toward the most tornado-laden year in over a decade. Meteorologists expect fresh rounds of severe storms to prowl the Plains and Midwest through Tuesday, urging residents to secure shelter plans and stay weather-alert as Memorial Day weekend approaches.

‍