A total of 19 people lost their lives as a result of the tornadoes that struck southeastern Kentucky. Among them are a firefighter, retired teacher, church elder, and other loved ones.

The death toll from this weekend's tornadoes has risen to at least 19 in Kentucky, with the addition of one woman from Russell County. And state officials warn the number could still rise.

The EF-3 tornado touched down in Somerset, Pulaski County, before wreaking havoc across the region, including London.

By MICHAEL CRIMMINS Glasgow News 1 At least 19 people have died due to the severe weather that traversed through Kentucky this past weekend,

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said 19 people in the state had died from the storms, many in Laurel County in the southern part of the state. The storm system also killed seven people in Missouri and two in Virginia when it rolled through the region, authorities said.

Tornadoes that swept through Kentucky, Missouri and Virginia killed more than two dozen people, destroyed homes and left thousands without power as residents began clearing widespread storm damage.

The community of Laurel County, Kentucky, is grieving the loss of more than a dozen people, including a firefighter who spent nearly four decades helping others, after a tornado destroyed his neighborhood while he was on duty.

Storm systems sweeping across parts of the Midwest and South have left at least 21 dead, many of them in Kentucky, with the death toll likely to rise.

Recovery operations are underway, and first responders are continuing their heroic efforts to search for survivors among the countless piles of destroyed homes and businesses in Kentucky and Missouri,