LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A powerful tornado in Louisville hit an apartment complex in the PRP neighborhood on Wednesday evening.
Chief Meteorologist-in-Charge John Gordon, with the National Weather Service in Louisville, confirmed the tornado was a high-end EF1 and said it reached wind speeds of 110 mph.
After surveying damage in the Newburg neighborhood, Gordon confirmed two EF1 tornadoes hit that area, too.
On one side of The Oaks at St. Andrews, there are roof shingles broken off and spread out along the parking area. One building's roof is completely gone and many of the units are caved in, with insulation lining the floors. Gordon said this area looks to be the hardest hit area in the Louisville Metro.
"It's a miracle that our city didn't experience more devastation of life," Gordon said.
Now, many are without a home and their most valuable belongings. Thankfully though, everyone in these apartments survived.
Denise Allen was inside her apartment when the tornado hit. She described it as the most terrifying three minutes of her life where all she could do was pray.
"It was wild, scary, sad. [I] just don't know what to do from here. I'm not no rich person. I don't know what we're going to do," Allen said. "I have a three-year-old and a six-year-old -- my mind wasn't on me, or none of that. [It] was just about making sure my kids were OK."
At one point in the night, Allen had her older daughter Mia Shakur on the phone and said, "All the trees are down everywhere, you can't see anything, the roof is off the next building."
Shakur said, "My heart stopped. It could have been the last day talking to my mom. It could have been the last time seeing my brothers and sisters. It was just real scary, and I was nervous. You really never know."
Shakur got over as fast as she could, thankfully to find her mom and younger siblings alive.
Nearly a day later, she spent time walking her younger siblings into her mom's apartment trying to salvage what's left.
WHAS11 was told that an injured, older man living at the apartment was taken to the hospital following the storms. There is no word on his condition, as of Thursday evening.
The Kentucky Red Cross confirmed the number of tenants they’ve put in temporary housing remains at 20 so far, also saying they have additional shelter space to house more if needed.
Earlier, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said at least a few dozens people living in the apartment complex were displaced.
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