A deadly storm that moved through much of the central U.S. on Saturday has caused at least three deaths in western and south central Kentucky.
According to police, the body of 69-year-old Kenneth Boren, of Franklin, was found in a submerged vehicle in Drakes Creek, near Kenny Perry Drive.
In Logan County, 79-year-old Dallas Jane Combs, of Adairville, was killed when her home collapsed on top of her during a tornado. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Combs’ husband sustained minor injuries as he was putting plastic around his residence and was blown into the basement by high winds.
In Union County, 77-year-old Joseph Lee Nally was killed when he was driving and apparently underestimated the depth of the water and strength of the current, and was swept off the road.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said that two tornadoes struck Logan County, an EF-1 (maximum sustained winds of 110 mph) and EF-2 (max winds of 135 mph). The E2-1 touched down just before 5:00 Saturday afternoon, with the EF-2 hitting the county about five hours later near Lewisburg.
An EF-1 tornado touched down at about 6:16 Friday evening near Hayes Pondsville Road in Warren County, before traveling into Barren County for a short distance, the NWS said. A barn was damaged and a large tree uprooted in Butler County in what the NWS says was an EF-1 strength twister.
Currently, Franklin, Logan, Union, Warren, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Christian, and Garrard Counties are reporting major damage from either straight-line winds or tornadoes.
Damaged in the weather event were homes, barns, outbuildings, trees, power lines and in Hopkinsville, approximately 170 tenants were displaced after a 48 unit apartment complex was nearly completely destroyed by a possible tornado. Three people were injured but none seriously, according to media reports.
The NWS is continuing to assess wide-spread damage and will be in Green, Casey and Garrard Counties on Monday.
(Photo courtesy of CBSNews.com)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
