SALYERSVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18)– It has been nearly seven years since more than a dozen tornadoes touched down across the Commonwealth, killing 22 people and leveling homes and businesses.
As tornado season approaches, city officials in Salyersville tell LEX 18 that they have a message for their residents, “we can ride out the storm together.”
No one was killed in that county, but the damage was immense, $56 million worth.
“It was a bad day, it kind of hit us by surprise,” said Mayor James “Pete” Shepherd.
Shepherd says that if they’re going to be surprised again, they better be as prepared as possible. A communal shelter has been purchased by the city. It is a couple of weeks away from being fully functional, but Shepherd hopes a second one will be placed along the Mountain Parkway.
That is encouraging news to Theresa Poe who hunkered down in the bathroom of Advanced Auto Parts during the tornado.
“I lived through a catastrophe. I mean the store was gone,” said Poe. “I lived here all my life and I never thought it would happen to my county, because you never know when it will happen again.”
