A powerful storm system spawned tornadoes and damaging storms from the South to the Ohio Valley, resulting in at least three fatalities and numerous injuries. According to WPVI, two individuals were killed in Pennsylvania on Wednesday when storms caused trees to fall on their vehicles. An 82-year-old woman in Collegeville and a 70-year-old man in Aston Township lost their lives in separate incidents.
In Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear reported at least one fatality due to destructive storms on Tuesday. A man died in a car accident in Campbell County during severe weather conditions. Beshear emphasized the tragic loss of life, expressing condolences to the victim’s family. He declared a statewide state of emergency following significant storm damage in the Lexington area.
Severe storms also caused havoc in Jeffersonville, Indiana, just north of Louisville, where at least 10 people were injured, as reported by the town’s mayor. Images shared by the mayor depicted severe damage to homes, with chunks torn from roofs and debris scattered throughout the neighborhood.
Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia declared a state of emergency on Tuesday for Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Nicholas counties due to severe thunderstorms causing “flooding, downed trees, power outages, and road blockages.” According to Kevin Walker, director of the Fayette County, West Virginia, Office of Emergency Management, at least 13 homes were damaged, and several residents sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Walker noted that some homes were destroyed while others suffered significant damage.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, a total of sixteen tornadoes were reported across Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia, alongside numerous reports of damaging winds, with gusts exceeding 100 mph in Kentucky.
In Conyers, Georgia, located just southeast of Atlanta, a tornado caused significant damage early Wednesday morning, according to CNN affiliate WXIA. The storm knocked down power lines and sent a tree crashing through a teenager’s car, trapping him inside. Fortunately, the teen was rescued and transported to a hospital for treatment, as reported by WXIA.
The National Weather Service office in Peachtree City assessed the tornado as an EF2, spanning approximately 9.5 miles with a width of 800 yards. Wind speeds reached up to 115 mph during the tornado’s passage. Remarkably, no injuries were reported as a result of the tornado.