May 2, 2024
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) – One day after six EF-1 tornadoes swept through the commonwealth, Kentucky Disaster Relief teams are stepping up to help.
Tornado strikes were confirmed in Anderson, Bourbon and Jefferson counties, as well as the city of Prospect, which straddles the Jefferson-Oldham county lines. Possible tornadoes are being evaluated in Boyd, Harlan, Shelby and Simpson counties.
Straight-line winds also caused problems. More than 20 counties reported damage from the severe storms Tuesday night.
Lew Cook, who has a Disaster Relief tarping team in the little town of Minerva in Mason County, was expecting a callout when the bad weather came Tuesday. Gusting winds came straight through Minerva, he said.
“We kind of knew, hearing the reports,” Cook said. “We have a tarping trailer, so we’re equipped to do it (quickly).”
However, he said in country towns like Minerva, many of the tarping jobs were already underway. Cook, who lives in nearby Maysville, said his crew is still assessing the area, but anticipated they would also be doing chainsaw work based on the large number of downed trees in the area.
“A lot of people here have already hired people to do the tarping,” he said. “Like any country town, they do what they have to do. We understand that.”
They have been able to help several residents with tarping and with more rain in the forecast, that’s a good thing, he said.
“People really do appreciate it,” he said.
Tony Leiss, the emergency management director in Mason County and a Kentucky Disaster Relief worker himself, sent out the call for help, Cook said.
“He knows what we’re all about because he’s one of us,” Cook said.
Another tarp and chainsaw crew is in Ashland, led by Wayne Terry. Parts of Boyd County were heavily damaged by the straight-line winds. The community of Ironville had damage to homes, including a mobile home that was turned upside down.
Terry’s six-man team worked on houses in the Ironville community that were hit hardest. They worked most of the day at a home that had the worst damage.
Terry said he spoke to a homeowner in the neighborhood who saw the tornado coming. “He ran inside, cuddled up in a safe place and his property was damaged but nothing major. He was in good shape. We offered him any help we could supply,” Terry said.
The neighbor saw they had their hands full with the house that took a direct hit, literally ripping an unfinished addition and turning it nearly on its side. “The wind caught that addition, blowing from left to right, and it peeled that addition off the house,” Terry said.
The homeowner, who works at a company in Huntington, wasn’t home when the winds came roaring and struck the house, but his wife and two children were inside.
“He was beside himself but thankful for the help we gave him,” Terry said. “He said he was shaking.”
Terry said he heard that it had been updated to an EF-1 tornado that swept through the road in the small community.
“I’ve never seen a tornado personally and this guy said it was his second one. He saw the one in West Liberty (in 2012),” Terry said.
They were able to tarp another home and put some shingles on the roof of an elderly couple.
KYDR Director Ron Crow said he would send more help if it was needed but Terry told him they could handle it.
Disaster Relief is assessing the situation in Prospect with a possible Saturday response planned. Crews are also looking at the LaGrange area, according to Crow.
