A violent storm system that included at least one unconfirmed tornado ripped across Kentucky, destroying homes, businesses and at least one church. 18 are confirmed dead as of Saturday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has finished its survey of the deadly tornado that ripped through southeastern Kentucky last week.

In an update Tuesday afternoon, officials said the tornado that traveled between Pulaski and Laurel counties was an EF-4 with peak winds of 170 mph. It was on the ground for more than 55 miles and was nearly a mile wide at its maximum width.

Barbourville Road was down to one lane in front of Slate Hill Baptist Church just outside of London, Ky. in Laurel County Sunday, May 18, 2025 as utility workers made repairs from down lines on the road. Two days earlier, thunderstorms and a deadly tornado ripped through the Southern Kentucky community destroying many homes.

CHI St. Joseph London saw a quick surge of people needing help in the moments after the tornado touched down in Laurel County.

Hearts are heavy across Kentucky in the wake of deadly tornadoes that slammed the state last week, but despite that, first responders and volunteers, some of whom are high school students, continue recovery efforts to rebuild communities that were leveled by the storms.

Additionally, there was no evidence that tornado sirens in the area had been deactivated by the Trump administration's budget cuts — if there was, the people affected by the storm certainly would have noted that fact in interviews.

Recent tornadoes have claimed the lives of at least 28 people. In response, Operation Blessing and Mercy Chefs deployed teams to the hardest-hit area of London, Kentucky.