One week after deadly tornado, NWS updates storm path and timing
Storm's track extended to nearly 60 miles, killed 19 people across Russell, Pulaski, and Laurel counties
RUSSELL COUNTY, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – It has now been one week since a deadly and historic tornado tore through Russell, Pulaski, and Laurel counties, leaving a path of destruction and heartbreak.
The National Weather Service updated its survey of the storm Thursday, revealing the EF-4 tornado touched down five minutes earlier than initially estimated and stayed on the ground four miles longer. Officials now say the tornado began around 10:27 p.m. last Friday, touching down along Highway 619 in Russell County.
Packing winds of up to 170 miles per hour near London, the tornado remained on the ground for nearly 60 miles. Its path carved through Pulaski County, parts of the Daniel Boone National Forest, and into Laurel County—where it devastated neighborhoods including Sunshine Hills.
According to state officials, 19 people were killed: 17 in Laurel County, one in Pulaski, and one in Russell. The tornado lifted just east of London at 11:56 p.m., making it one of the strongest and deadliest storms in Kentucky history.
Governor Andy Beshear said the state is still awaiting FEMA approval for both individual and public assistance as recovery efforts continue.
