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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Governor Beshear Monitoring Storm Damage Assessments
FRANKFORT, KY.– The Office of Governor Steve Beshear remains in close communication with emergency management and local officials as they begin damage assessments of severe storms and tornadoes that moved through the state yesterday. The teams are reviewing damages in at least 24 counties.
“Our teams on the ground are keeping us updated on the needs of our communities and families after these rough storms,” said Gov. Beshear. “Unfortunately, we’ve become well-versed in disaster response in this administration, and once again, I pledge the full assistance of our state’s emergency management agencies as we help our communities recover.”
A fast moving weather system swept through the state Monday afternoon and evening, causing injuries, structural damage, power outages, road closures, and localized flooding. The National Weather Service (NWS) Paducah Office confirmed two tornado touchdowns in Ballard County, one in Slater and another southwest of Kevil. Seven people were hurt at the TG Automotive Sealing Kentucky plant in Hopkinsville. One person was flown to a Knoxville hospital in critical condition after a tree fell onto his vehicle while he was driving in Whitley County.
“We are very fortunate to have come through these storms with no reported fatalities and a limited number of injuries. It could have been much worse,” said John Heltzel, director of Kentucky Emergency Management. “The National Weather Service, media and local officials did a great job notifying the public of the dangers of these storms.”
Power outages occurred throughout the state but Clay, Floyd, Leslie and Pike counties experienced the heaviest outages. The city of Manchester experienced almost total outage with 2,050 of 2,199 Kentucky Utility (KU) customers without power. Power is expected to be restored by the end of day.
Individuals who suffered damage to personal property from yesterday’s storms are encouraged to report the damage to their local emergency management.
There have been no requests for assistance from county governments.
Citizens are encouraged to avoid downed power lines, and to report downed lines to their local utility provider or 911.
Weather safety tips and weather alerts by county can be found on the KYEM website at www.kyem.ky.gov.
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