Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers from Ohio removed damaged trees and debris in London and Somerset, Ky., after a mile-wide tornado tore through the area May 16.
The National Weather Service confirmed a powerful EF-4 tornado passed through the area, reaching peak winds of 170 miles per hour and devastating multiple communities in its approximately 56-mile path. Damage spans Russell, Pulaski and Laurel counties, and at least 19 people were killed.
The Somerset-London tornado was only the sixth EF-4 or EF-5 tornado in Kentucky in the past 50 years. The tornado was part of a deadly weather outbreak that spawned tornadoes in 22 states May 15-21. Among the hardest-hit states were Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
Have a comment on this story? Write to the editors. Include your full name, city and state. Selected comments will be edited for publication in print or online.