Laurel County residents salvage valuables before next storm

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — New aerial video is shedding light on the devastating power of Friday night’s tornado, which tore through neighborhoods in Laurel County, leveling homes and scattering debris for miles.

The destruction is widespread — with dozens, possibly hundreds, of homes destroyed and vehicles tossed across multiple counties. Families are now returning to what’s left, searching through the rubble for anything salvageable before more storms arrive.

Governor Andy Beshear has confirmed at least 19 people were killed, with the majority of victims in Laurel County.

Among those who survived is Edwina Wilson, who recalled the terrifying moments inside her home as the tornado hit.

“The house started shaking and the loud roaring happened and we just fell right there in the hallway,” Wilson said. “When it finally did stop, he [her husband] wasn’t moving, but I screamed at him and he started shaking his leg to let me know he was okay. I told him, ‘You have to say something,’ so he did. And we started peeling our way out.”

The National Weather Service believes the tornado that hit the Sunshine Hills neighborhood may have been an EF-3, with further damage surveys expected to continue in the coming days.

As cleanup begins, residents remain on alert with more severe weather in the forecast.