28 dead, half a million without power as deadly storms, tornadoes sweep across central, eastern US

At least 28 people were killed and dozens injured after a powerful wave of severe storms and tornadoes tore through the central U.S. from late Friday into Saturday. Kentucky was hit hardest, with 18 deaths—17 in Laurel County alone—while Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana also saw significant damage and casualties. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed, thousands lost power, and emergency crews are still searching for survivors. In St. Louis, seven died and parts of the city were devastated, prompting an emergency declaration and curfew, Accuweather has reported. More severe weather is forecast for early next week.