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Bevin Declares Statewide Emergency in Response to Recent Severe Weather

Cheri Lawson, WEKU

Governor Matt Bevin declared a statewide emergency on Friday in response to the severe weather across the commonwealth earlier this week. 

Tornado, wind and hail damage has been reported across the state.

The National Weather Service in Paducah is surveying locations in western Kentucky and southern Illinois including a tornado path near Cuba in southern Graves County and another tornado in southeast Trigg County. (More about the regional damage)

According to the National Weather Service an EF-1 tornado moved across southeast portions of Trigg County Tuesday night with an estimated wind peak of 105 mph. An EF-2 tornado swept Graves County early Wednesday morning at an estimated 120 mph.

Trigg County reported hundreds of trees being snapped or uprooted, and one grain bin destroyed. Graves County also reported numerous trees being uprooted as well as several cemetery grave markers being  blown up to 30 feet. There were no reported fatalities or injuries in either counties.

Bevin said in a release, the declaration provides emergency management personnel with resources to respond to local needs.

Kentucky Emergency Management has received preliminary notification of damages from more than three dozen counties. Formal damage assessments are underway.

This story has been updated.

Matt Markgraf joined the WKMS team as a student in January 2007. He's served in a variety of roles over the years: as News Director March 2016-September 2019 and previously as the New Media & Promotions Coordinator beginning in 2011. Prior to that, he was a graduate and undergraduate assistant. He is currently the host of the international music show Imported on Sunday nights at 10 p.m.
Ebony Clark is a student at Murray State University majoring in computer science. She was born in Brownsville, Tennessee. Ebony has served as a reporter for 4-H congress in Nashville, TN where she spoke with several state leaders and congressmen. Ebony enjoys writing poetry and spoken word and competed in Tennessee's Poetry Out Loud competition hosted by the arts council in Nashville,TN.
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