Disaster History

Three year anniversary of tornado outbreak in eastern Kentucky

March 2, 2015

It was three years ago that a series of tornadoes ripped through southern Indiana and central Kentucky. By the end of the day on March 2, 2012, hundreds of people were injured with 39 fatalities over seven states.

The National Weather Service and other weather forecasters had predicted some sort of severe storms outbreak for days. Many businesses and government agencies closed early on that Friday. As the storms progressed throughout the South and Midwest, nearly 300 tornado warnings were issued.

West Liberty, KY suffered millions of dollars in damage. It was the first EF-3 tornado to tear through eastern Kentucky since 1988. The tornado cut a 60-mile-long path through several counties. Six people died and 75 were injured.

The rebuilding continues in West Liberty as it does in the communities that suffered damage from the storms.

It’s important to remember that advanced warning about severe weather is something to take seriously. Knowing what to do to keep yourself and family members safe is important any time of the year. Severe weather doesn’t just happen in the Spring.