Counties continue cleanup efforts after severe weather events

ALLEN COUNTY Ky.- Trees are blown over throughout Simpson and Allen counties due to two EF1 tornado which came through the areas over the weekend.

Emergency management director of Allen County Gary Petty said the tornado there mainly left its mark on trees, barns and even some houses.

“We’ve had a few calls with sheds being damaged and rolled over. We’ve also had calls where the edges of the roof or portions of the roofs have been rolled up where they weren’t nailed down really good and tight. The 90 to 100 mile per hour winds were able to force them up,” Petty said.

The tornado spun up in Allen County at 7:39, and thankfully, the emergency management team in Allen County was keeping track as it moved.

“We were tracking the storm as it came through Simpson County because most of our severe weather moves from the west into Allen county,” Petty said.

Allen County Judge-Executive Dennis Harper said the storm was bad, but not as bad as it could’ve been.

“It was a very strong storm, could’ve been a lot worse. It could’ve picked a more critical path that could’ve caused a lot more damage and a lot more people getting hurt,” Harper said.

Despite a destructive storm, Harper said he’s thankful that the people of Allen County came together to clean up the destruction and are still working together to finish that clean up.

“People just joined in from everywhere. Numerous people came in to help them clean up the areas that were damaged around their houses and around their barns. Allen County is a very strong county. We had damage, but we will survive. We’ll get to work on it and get it all cleaned up,” Harper said.