LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mayor Craig Greenberg has declared a state of emergency after severe weather and a likely tornado impacted portions of Jefferson County.
Some residents described the likely tornado as a freight train when the storm moved through the area Tuesday evening.
Mayor Greenberg said much of the damage happened Prospect.
The tornado, which has not been officially confirmed by the National Weather Service, originated in eastern Clark County in Indiana before making its way southeast into Louisville.
“The damage that we are seeing, particularly in the Prospect area of our city is consistent with a tornado, however, there is no confirmation that a tornado has touched down. The National Weather Service is currently surveying the damage [and] they’ll continue to survey as daylight permits. They will be back at it tomorrow morning and we will rely on their information before any confirmation regarding a tornado.”
Greenberg confirmed Bass Road was the most impacted.
“It appears the damage started in the Beechland Beach area, right there along the Ohio River and moved south and east just to the side of the Sutherland neighborhood and also then crossed U.S. 42 into the Hunting Creek neighborhood,” he explained.
The Anchorage Middletown Fire Department went street-by-street to homes that suffered damage to make sure residents were safe and okay.
Greenberg credited the National Weather Service’s forecast in helping prepare residents for multiple rounds of severe weather. He believes it helped save lives.
“I’m pleased to report as of right now, there are zero injuries or deaths to report from this storm. No injuries that we are aware of at this time.”
The storm caused a number of downed trees and power lines which blocked roads. City officials are working with LG&E to cut power to those lines so trees can be removed and roads reopened.
Louisville Water Company’s facility on River Road in Prospect was close to the area of impact but did not lose power and Greenberg said there was no risk to the water supply.
More than 300 calls between 5:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. were taken by MetroSafe from the community reporting damage or issues related to the storm.
“The average wait times was three seconds,” Greenberg said.
The only other areas in the county experiencing downed lines was in the area of New Cut Road and the Outer Loop.
More than 1,800 residents were without power following the storm.
Greenberg said the declaration will help public agencies and the procurement processes to speed up all of the recovery needed to cleanup following the storm.
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