LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville got its first taste of the leftover remnants from what was Hurricane Helene. The tropical system drenched the region and brought strong winds, knocking out power to thousands.
Mary Shey Ballantine was caught off guard by a large tree limb that had snapped, falling near Douglass Park in the Highlands.
"I knew that there was gonna be some storms and I was excited for the day off school," she said. "But the sound that it made hitting the concrete and the road and the pavement was very shocking and I think that's what woke me up the most."
The large tree limb thankfully missed hitting anyone or their homes. It also avoided powerlines, and a Louisville Metro Public Works crew had the road cleared within an hour.
Meanwhile, in Lyndon, high winds knocked electricity out for people on Old Mill Road just before 6:00 a.m. LG&E estimated a couple hundred people lost power. By noon, a contractor crew restored everyone's electricity -- except for one unlucky homeowner who lost the direct line to their house due to wind ripping off a portion of their home.
At Whipps Mill Dam at A.B. Sawyer Park, MSD crews cleared it out, protecting homes along Beargrass Creek from flooding. With heavy runoff, the water stood eight feet higher than usual.
"It's amazing the power of moving water," MSD spokesperson Sheryl Lauder said. "The size of the logs and fallen trees that it picks up and just carries along as if their matchsticks. That's always impressive."
And if those blocked up drains are near your home, it's MSD's job to clear those out too. But if it's just a few leaves in the catch basin, you can clear those out yourself.
If your neighborhood is experiencing flooding, report it by calling 502-540-6000. You can also submit reports online by clicking here.
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