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LEXINGTON, St. LOUIS: A strong spring storm caused tornadoes overnight in the U.S. Midwest and Ohio River Valley, killing at least 25 people in Kentucky and Missouri and badly damaging homes, officials said on Saturday.

In Kentucky, 17 people died in Laurel County, about 80 miles south of Lexington, when a tornado hit around midnight, Governor Andy Beshear said on social media. One more person died in Pulaski County.

“This is another tough morning for Kentucky after a night of deadly weather,” Beshear said.

Beshear had already declared a state of emergency, as did Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe. In Missouri, seven people died, including five in the St. Louis area.

Photos from above showed heavy destruction in Laurel County. Many houses were torn apart, and cars were damaged or crushed by the tornado.

Laurel County Sheriff John Root called it a “mass casualty event,” saying many people were badly hurt and rescue teams were looking for survivors.

Gilbert Acciardo, a local sheriff’s office spokesperson, said 22 families whose homes were destroyed were staying in emergency shelters. He stated that the tornado was an “EF5,” the strongest type of tornado.

The damage reminded people of a deadly tornado in December 2021 that killed 22 people in Mayfield, Kentucky, including eight factory workers.

Another tornado hit St. Louis on Friday, killing at least five people, injuring 38, and damaging about 5,000 buildings, Mayor Cara Spencer said. The tornado ripped off roofs, knocked down power lines, and passed through busy roads during rush hour.

“Our city is grieving,” said Spencer, who became mayor just a month ago. The loss of life and the destruction is truly, truly horrendous.”

St. Louis resident Joan Miller recounted her narrow escape when a tornado struck her brick house.

“The wind started, the tree out front was shaking so violently,” she said. “And suddenly all the doors shut, the windows flew out from the bedroom … the entire back of my house … you can see straight into the alley now.”

The National Weather Service said storms were spread across the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Ohio valleys on May 16. At least six tornadoes hit Missouri, Illinois, and other nearby states. Another tornado was reported in New Jersey.

In Virginia, two people died when trees fell on their cars during the storm, news reports said.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she had spoken with the governors of Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois and offered federal help to recover from the disaster.

“We discussed how while emergency management is best led by local authorities, we reinforced that DHS stands ready to take immediate action to offer resources and support,” she wrote on social media.

Noem has championed a shift in the federal strategy for managing disasters under the Trump administration, which involves transferring responsibilities to states. President Donald Trump’s proposed budget includes deep cuts for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which falls under her purview.