HOPKINS COUNTY, Ky. — Recovery in Western Kentucky following an EF3 tornado will take months, and help is needed.
In the days following a devastating tornado, Ashley Alexander drives through Hopkins County, visiting with residents affected by the storm. She works for the United Way and Hopkins County Long Term Recovery Committee and goes door to door trying to understand how each Kentuckian was affected, their immediate needs and what they may require for the long-term.
“It’s different than Dec. 10," Alexander said, referring to the EF4 tornado that struck the area in Dec. 2021. “It’s just as bad (for) those who are affected … this is more rural, and the homes were hit have sustained substantial damage."
"We’ve got (the) elderly out here living on their farms. We have widows. We have people who need the help.”
The information Alexander collects helps local and state officials deploy a variety of resources to residents, including how emergency funding is divided, she said.
Volunteers are also in high demand. Alexander said while first responders and utility workers are clearing roadways and restoring power, volunteers are necessary on residential property to remove debris, patch roofs and even mend fences.
“If you don’t have tools, we'll help you find some," she said.
Nick Bailey, director of Hopkins County Emergency Management, said he can't thank first responders, linemen, public works crews and others helping enough. While dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed, the number of injuries remains low, he added.
“There were five people taken to the hospital, treated and transported, and then there was approximately a dozen or so treated on the scene for very minor scrapes and bruises,” Bailey said.
American Red Cross officials have also been making house calls, though establishing contact is difficult as dozens when some families have already relocated, Alexander said.
“Some of these are a total loss," she said. "Some of the homes that may look fine were actually a total loss, and some of them were completely destroyed, beautiful homes and some for the ones that had just been repaired from the last tornado."
The Charleston Baptist Church is collecting donations, which the Hopkins County Long Term Recovery Committee is distributing.