LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Dozens of Louisville residents were displaced, and many others were without power, after several EF-1 tornadoes swirled through Jefferson and Meade counties. Two Louisville apartment buildings were destroyed in the storm.

What You Need To Know

  • Several EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Louisville 

  • Two apartment buildings are destroyed

  • Top wind speeds were recorded at 110 mph

  • There has been 1 death connected to the storm, but no injures were reported at the PRP apartment complex

There were damage reports across Louisville as Wednesday’s storm tracked east through neighborhoods south of Highway 264, but at the Oaks at St. Andrews apartment complex in PRP, you could see clear evidence of the tornado’s destructive power.

This apartment building in the Brooklawn area of Louisville had its roof ripped of by an EF-1 tornado on the night of April 5, 2023. (Spectrum News 1/Drew Bennett)

Nearly the entire roof of one apartment building was torn off by 110-mile per hour winds and thrown against an adjacent complex building. Twenty-four hours later, residents were returning to see what personal items then could salvage.

The damage is dramatic, maybe even more so a day later as Gustavo Perez returned to his apartment.

“Oh, man. I was mortified,” Perez said of when he saw the scope of the damage Wednesday.

An EF-1 tornado tore the roof off his building and smashed it into another. Debris is everywhere. Perez is back to collect family photos including one of his parents who live in Mexico.

“It’s the only picture I have of them,” Perez said holding the framed portrait of his parents.

"Family" was the only thing on Miresha Mason’s mind when the tornado hit. “My babies just got home. They were scared and they were scared and everything but we got through it," Mason said.

Their building was spared from the worst of the damage, even though her door is just a few yards away from Perez’. 

“[This is] my bedroom window, so I can see all of the [damage] above there,” Mason said.

Her family is OK, but their apartment is without power. Amisi Rashidi is in the dark too. He, with several family members lives in a separate building within the Oaks at St. Andrews complex.

“We have running water, but like right now, we cook at one of my family member’s place and then we bring the food over here,” Rashidi told Spectrum News.

Thankfully everyone we’ve spoken to has family to lean on during this time of recovery. 

“Really Lucky. This is the first time I’ve ever seen a tornado do damage,” Miresha Mason said. Gustavo Perez is on his way to his brother’s home right now with the portrait of their parents he came to save.

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