BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — With the Bowling Green tornado recovery still ongoing, power is being restored.
While cities in western Kentucky like Mayfield and Dawson Springs continue to rebuild following last year’s EF-4 tornado, neighborhoods in Bowling Green are also still recovering from a powerful EF-3 twister that struck the same night.
Entire neighborhoods were scarred by the storm. A total of 17 people were killed by the storm and hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed.
On Magnolia Street, subcontractor Jerry Bowling is working on a collapsed porch. A salmon-colored placard reading “UNSAFE” is taped to the home’s front window.
“A lot of work still happening around here, some of them are still empty,” Powell said.
As soon as his work order is approved by the general contractor the new porch can go in.
“It wasn’t that this home had to be torn down it’s just they can’t occupy it until the repairs are done,” Powell said.
And until those repairs are completed and the home is inspected, the city will not restore power to the home.
Across the street, Alex Acosta is residing and roofing two damaged homes. Contractor vans and trucks line the street.
“That roof right here we already pushed down because the storm tried to pick it up,” Acosta said.
Painters are working on a home next door and two homes to the south from where Acosta is working. Another home is missing half of its roof, so while progress is being made, a significant amount work remains.
Jerry Powell said there is a backlog of work that existed long before the December 10 tornado tore through town.
“All the subs and contractors have had work scheduled months out, and then this happened and we’re trying to fit it in where they can," he said.
It’s a patchwork of progress that may prolong his stay in this neighborhood and others like it.
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