One dead, multiple injured after confirmed tornado in Kentucky
By Josh James, WUKY Staff
May 30, 2025 at 10:46 AM EDT
The Washington County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky reported that one person has died and multiple people sustained injuries after a National Weather Service confirmed EF-2 tornado Friday morning.
The sheriff’s office says crews responded to multiple emergency calls at Long Run Road and also posted pictures of damage in the area. People are being asked to stay off Long Run Road.
“Please stay home to allow Emergency Responders to do their job,” the post read. “Prayers are needed.”
"We're very fortunate. This is located in a remote part of the county, so it was a small area that was hit, but it was devastating," Washington County Judge-Executive Timothy Graves said in a press conference.
The early morning storm left all-too-familiar pictures of destruction behind in the Pottsville area about an hour southwest of Lexington, where Kevin Devine with emergency management said at least several houses were hit. The storm and potential tornado also took down power lines and snapped trees.
Devine said it's a mostly rural area where siren warnings would not have been an option.
"There was no siren in this area. The sirens that we have in this county are in Springfield and other parts of the county. We do not have a siren out in this area of the county," he told reporters. Warnings did reach at least some phones ahead of the unexpected burst of severe weather.
Graves said surrounding counties rushed to help.
"I know I had so many people calling me this morning from neighboring counties and neighboring judges offer help," he said. "We're just so grateful that we have had the type of community that we take care of one another. And that's what we do in Kentucky," he added.
Officials say everyone is now accounted for.
WUKY's Karyn Czar is in Washington County and will have further details.
“Please stay home to allow Emergency Responders to do their job,” the post read. “Prayers are needed.”
"We're very fortunate. This is located in a remote part of the county, so it was a small area that was hit, but it was devastating," Washington County Judge-Executive Timothy Graves said in a press conference.
The early morning storm left all-too-familiar pictures of destruction behind in the Pottsville area about an hour southwest of Lexington, where Kevin Devine with emergency management said at least several houses were hit. The storm and potential tornado also took down power lines and snapped trees.
Devine said it's a mostly rural area where siren warnings would not have been an option.
"There was no siren in this area. The sirens that we have in this county are in Springfield and other parts of the county. We do not have a siren out in this area of the county," he told reporters. Warnings did reach at least some phones ahead of the unexpected burst of severe weather.
Graves said surrounding counties rushed to help.
"I know I had so many people calling me this morning from neighboring counties and neighboring judges offer help," he said. "We're just so grateful that we have had the type of community that we take care of one another. And that's what we do in Kentucky," he added.
Officials say everyone is now accounted for.
WUKY's Karyn Czar is in Washington County and will have further details.