Jamie Coleman looks over at her storage building, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, that blew over in her yard along Route 60 in Hico, W.Va., during a storm that hit the area the day before. Rick Barbero, The Register-Herald via Associated Press
Madison Selcho
By Madison Selcho
Madison Selcho is an audience team assistant and a general assignment staff writer.

A powerful storm system, including tornadoes, has swept from the South to the Ohio Valley, damaging multiple businesses and leaving tens of thousands of people without power.

CNN reported that according to Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia, “flooding, downed trees, power outages and road blockages,” are the reason for him calling a state of emergency Tuesday, “for Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln and Nicholas counties.”

Sixteen tornadoes were recorded across Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia on Tuesday and Wednesday morning with gusts climbing up to, “100 mph in Kentucky.”

The National Weather Service office in Peachtree City reported that the tornado in Georgia traveled 9.5 miles and was 800 yards wide with winds as high as 115 mph, giving it a rating of an EF2 twister.

A database maintained by USA Today reported that more than 361,000 households across various states including New York, Wisconsin and West Virginia did not have power through Wednesday night.

The storm system has reportedly injured several people and killed at least three people:

  • Mary Baker, an 82-year-old woman was killed in Collegeville.
  • Michael Kranyak, a 70-year-old man was killed in Aston Township.
  • A Kentucky man was killed in Campbell County.

CNN affiliate WPVI reported that both Baker and Kranyak died similarly when each of their cars were hit by a falling tree.

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Mike Rice of Collegeville, who reportedly witnessed officials coming to the aid of Baker said, “The fire department had the jaws of life and they were trying to cut her out of the car when I came out.”

Susan Zvarick from Collegeville further explained that trees have been falling down in the area where they live throughout the year as “moisture and high winds” have been continuing in the weather patterns.

Rice continued saying, “With those trees swaying back and forth, who knows? You never know what’s going to happen with tall trees in this wind. It’s a bad combination.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in response, “But listen, the loss of one life, and I believe this is a young man, is a tragic occurrence and we’ll be praying for him and his family.”

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Kay Persinger looks out over what was once her daughter's garage on Lookout Road in Hico, W.Va., Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Persinger was tucked down in the corner of the garage when a storm hit the area the day before. Persinger survived the storm but suffered a gash on her left leg and fractured two toes. | Rick Barbero, The Register-Herald via Associated Press
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Greg Crist walks down Lookout Road in Hico, W.Va., Wednesday, April 3, 2024, as he looks over the damage from a storm that hit in the area the day before. | Rick Barbero, The Register-Herald via Associated Press
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The canopy of a gas station is strewn about the ground, Wednesday, April 3, 2024, outside the Par Mar convenience store off Route 60 in Hico, W.Va., after a storm hit the area the night before. | Rick Barbero, The Register-Herald via Associated Press
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Crews work on utility lines along Route 60 in Hico, W.Va., Wednesday, April 3, 2024. The lines were damaged by a storm that hit the area the day before. | Rick Barbero, The Register-Herald via Associated Press
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A tree sits uprooted and the roof is ripped off a home belonging to Johnny Carte on Lookout Road in Hico, W.Va., Wednesday, April 3, 2024, after a storm hit the area the day before. | Rick Barbero, The Register-Herald via Associated Press
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Earnest Workman cleans up debris from a storm that damaged his fence, porch and the siding of his home off Route 60 in Hico, W.Va., Wednesday, April 3, 2024. | Rick Barbero, The Register-Herald via Associated Press
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A large tree lays across the front yard of a house in the Hunting Creek neighborhood in Prospect, Ky., Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Severe storms passed through the area uprooting trees and cutting power to many areas. | Timothy D. Easley, Associated Press
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Steve Dickens, of Derry, N.H. shovels snow, Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Derry, N.H. Parts of New Hampshire received over a foot of snow from the storm. | Charles Krupa, Associated Press
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A pedestrian walks beneath snow-laden trees Thursday, April 4, 2024 in Northfield, Vt., as a major spring storm dumped heavy snow on the region. | Jeb Wallace-Brodeur, The Times Argus via Associated Press
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A passer-by carries an umbrella while walking in strong wind, Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Boston. A spring storm is bringing heavy rain and high winds across New England. | Steven Senne, Associated Press
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