LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Officials in Milton, Kentucky, released updates after a tornado touched down near the Ohio River on Thursday afternoon, leaving extensive damage across several counties.

Road closures

According to a post on the Trimble County Emergency Management Facebook page, Highway 36 will remain closed to all traffic except residents and emergency responders. Anyone who wishes to volunteer to help with cleanup and debris removal should stop by the Milton Fire & Rescue command post at 11556 Highway 421.

No donations are needed until officials determine which items are needed. Anyone who wants to donate money should contact Milton Fire and Rescue.

Power outages

Power was still out for many residents Friday morning, but officials said the utility expects to have repairs made to transmission lines by Friday afternoon and hopes to have distribution lines back up and running by Friday evening. If anyone in the area has medical or other immediate needs, please contact Fire and Rescue president Emily McQueary at 502-663-1693.

Residents are also being asked to conserve power and water until all crews have been able to bring systems back online.

Tornado confirmed

Hours after the storm, the National Weather Service confirmed at least one EF-1 tornado touched down in Milton but later said it was at least an EF-2 tornado. The NSW survey is ongoing.

"It does appear that there is some really significant damage, especially to the town of Milton in Trimble County," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement. "We are going to work to do everything we can to help those impacted – and we think there are over 100 structures that are potentially damaged. Our job is to make sure that no Kentuckian is alone, especially in these difficult times.”

IMAGES | WDRB Drone shows severe weather damage from Milton, Kentucky, area

Beshear said he has been in direct contact with mayors and county judges to find out what they need, and Kentucky's Emergency Operations Center has been activated to coordinate state and local response. Three urban search teams are on standby, including teams from Jefferson County, northern Kentucky and the Ashland Fire Department.

The fire department said Trimble County EMS transported two patients to the hospital with injuries, but no additional details were given.

People are being asked to avoid downtown Milton.

Safety tips from transportation officials

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet wants residents to be aware if they're traveling on area roads and watch out for downed trees and other debris. In a post on X, officials shared tips for driving safely after a storm.

If there's a downed power line in the road, KYTC advises drivers to:

Never touch or drive over a fallen line, report the issue to the power company
Do not drive through standing water in case there is a downed line in it
Stay inside your vehicle if a line has fallen on it as the ground may be energized. Sound your horn, call for help and call 911
Assume all downed power lines are live and do not attempt to move one, even with non-conductive materials like wood or cloth

Additionally, power outages may cause issues for traffic lights. KYTC said when a light is blinking yellow, proceed through the signal intersection with caution when traffic allows. When a light is flashing red, treat the signaled intersection as a stop sign. When a light is completely out, treat the intersection like a 4-way stop sign.

KYTC crews are working to remove downed trees & debris from roadways following the severe weather in Trimble Co. this afternoon. KY 36 is closed from MM 1 to MM 6.

Additional severe weather is predicted through the D5 area later this evening.

Follow @NWSLouisville for updates. pic.twitter.com/IjU3wiq3YC
— KYTCDistrict5 (@KYTCDistrict5) March 14, 2024