Storms Rip Through Kentucky and Missouri, Leaving at Least 27 Dead, Dozens Injured

The number of fatalities is expected to rise as search-and-rescue teams continue to comb through the debris and devastation.

Residents inspect their home after a tornado tore off the back wall of a house in St. Louis, on May 16, 2025. Lawrence Bryant/Reuters

Severe storms that swept across the Midwest and South on May 16 killed at least 27 people and injured dozens more, with Kentucky and Missouri among the hardest hit, according to officials.

In Kentucky, at least 18 fatalities have been confirmed, according to a May 17 statement from Gov. Andy Beshear.