Surveyors find EF-3 tornado damage in Laurel County. Assessments continue
Damage assessment surveyors have found preliminary EF-2 to EF-3 tornado damage in Laurel County from last weekend’s severe storms, according to the National Weather Service.
The severity of the damage in the county depends on the specific location, but preliminary assessments show that some areas sustained damage from a high-end EF-3 tornado, according to the NWS. An EF-3 tornado has at least three-second wind gusts of between 136-165 miles per hour.
The Enhanced Fujita scale is a set of wind speed estimates based on damage, ranging from the weakest ranking, EF-0, to the highest, EF-5. The scale is based on damage to structures — not characteristics of the tornado itself.
Surveyors with the NWS analyze damage to buildings, trees, outbuildings and cars to estimate the EF rating, according to the NWS. Damage assessments in Laurel County are ongoing and could be completed as early as Monday.
Storm surveyors in Russell County found EF-2 tornado damage, according to the NWS. That tornado also moved into Pulaski County and damaged many areas.
A 93-year-old woman died in Russell County. Pulaski County has also recorded one death, and Laurel County has recorded 17.
Gov. Andy Beshear said the storm was “one of the worst in terms of damage.”
Ten people remained hospitalized with injuries from the storms. As of Sunday, three were in critical condition, while four had been upgraded from critical to fair and three had been upgraded from critical to good, according to Beshear.
This story was originally published May 19, 2025 at 11:12 AM.
