Most of the deaths in Kentucky occurred in Laurel County in the southeastern part of the state, about 130 miles southeast of Louisville.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear toured the damage in his state Saturday, telling reporters during a news conference afterward, “You can not only see the destruction, you can feel it.”
Beshear, who declared a state of emergency ahead of the storms, said he’s been governor for at least 13 federally declared disasters related to weather and this storm was one of the worst in terms of loss of life and damage.
The ages of those killed in the storms ranged from 25 to 76, with at least 12 of the deaths being people in their 60s and 70s, according to information released by state officials.
One of the people who died was identified as Maj. Roger Leslie Leatherman of the Laurel County Fire Department, who had been in public service for 39 years and “died doing what first responders do every day, risking his life for our safety,” Beshear said.
