Deadly Kentucky Storms, Supreme Court Ruling, European Presidential Elections
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What are the impacts of the deadly storms in Kentucky?
Deadly storms and tornadoes tear through several states, leaving devastation.
In Kentucky, more than 20 people are reported to have been killed. I'm Ayesha Roscoe.
And I'm Scott Simon, and this is Up First from NPR News.
The Supreme Court says the Trump administration cannot deport a group of Venezuelans while their cases are being litigated in the courts.
President Trump is trying to use a wartime law to deport the detainees who are accused of being gang members.
And it's a big weekend for elections in Europe.
Voters in both Poland and Romania head to the polls to elect new presidents, but what's at stake for the region?
How many casualties were reported from the storms?
So stay with us. We have the news you need to start your weekend. Severe storms and tornadoes swept through Kentucky, causing widespread devastation. Rescue crews are now searching for survivors after homes and buildings were torn apart.
One of the worst affected areas was the city of London, Kentucky, where there are reports of multiple casualties. We're joined now by Karen Tzar from member station WUKY. Karen, thanks for being with us.
Thank you for having me.
What areas of your state seem to be hit worse?
Well, we are in Lexington, which is the central part of Kentucky, and it seems like south of us sustained the most damage. Now, those reports were in the overnight, and as the sun comes up, officials in several counties say that they're going to have a better assessment of the scope of the damage. And as the storm was passing over the WUKY studios here in Lexington last night, we were under tornado watches, and you could see the rotations on the radar that And then as the storm moved south, those watches quickly turned to warnings and weather spotters captured what appeared to be funnel clouds and several local meteorologists confirmed tornadic activity. We, of course, are waiting on confirmation from the National Weather Service.
And the death toll went up throughout the night. Laurel County, where most fatalities are reported?
Yes, I spoke with London Mayor Randall Weddle. He said at least 23 people have died. in the county, and some are still unaccounted for.
I'm hopeful that in those cases that they've been took to the shelter, you know, or they've just not made contact yet.
There's also one reported fatality in Somerset where it appears a tornado or straight-line winds cut through. Mayor Weddle and officials in Somerset are saying the best way everyone can help right now is by staying away from the area so that first responders can continue recovery efforts.
What did the Supreme Court rule about Venezuelan deportations?
Right now, we are worried with human life, and we are trying to ensure that there is no one in this debris that needs help. The roads are pretty much open and cleared, but right now our main focus, rather than any tree laying on the road, our main focus is to make sure that no one is laying in this debris. Karen, what kind of damage have you seen?
Several videos came in, one in particular where a father and son in Somerset filming the storm, and it was pitch black, but as the lightning would flash, you could see what appeared to be a funnel cloud touching down, and they, of course, quickly went inside. Mayor Weddle has sent photos, and there are areas where... There used to be a neighborhood and there's nothing left but sticks. It is completely flat. He says the damage is devastating and it looks similar to what we saw in western Kentucky several years ago.
For some of the areas that were hit by flooding just last month, also affected by last night's storms.
We are still gathering reports, and again, in areas where the destruction wasn't as severe or widespread. Officials say we won't know the extent of the damage until they're able to do surveys by the light of day. And as you mentioned, dozens of Kentucky counties were affected by storms in April, but we also saw storms in February. So FEMA has been on the ground in Kentucky for several months. That is going to be an incredible asset for us because currently... We have recovery centers open across the state helping people who were affected by those storms so that they can apply for individual assistance. Ironically, just a week ago, 24 more counties were added to the list approved for individual assistance.
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