PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A number of businesses and homes were destroyed after severe storms tore through Pulaski County Friday night. The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF2 tornado touched down in Pulaski County.
Parkers Mill Road near Highway 27 in Somerset was littered with debris, downed power lines, and the remnants of businesses that were operating as usual Friday afternoon.
Baxter’s Coffee, a local staple, was destroyed in the storms.
“I was kind of prepared for what I was going to see this morning but you know, it’s heartbreaking. There is no other way to put it, it’s just heartbreaking," said Jay Tuttle, owner of Baxter's. "I got probably 10 or 15 texts from friends and employees asking if we were okay and if the store was okay. Obviously it’s not, but we will rebuild. We’ve got the other locations here in town and we will be back.”
Neighbors around town arrived at the scene to offer support.
James and Emily Turner, who live nearby, described the feeling as the storm tore through Pulaski County.
“It sounded like we had bowling balls dropping on our roof. We thought our roof was gonna fall. It was horrifying,” Emily Turner said.
Redeemer Lutheran Church, as well as nearby gas stations and a movie theater, also sustained significant damage.
Cars were left abandoned on the road, tangled in power lines.
“You never know what tomorrow brings and we are happy and glad that God protected this town because it could have been worse. We have a lot of people here to help and rebuild and hopefully soon and into something better than before,” said Florentina Catalino, a longtime Somerset resident.
As people across Southeastern Kentucky continue to learn about a growing number of casualties in the aftermath of the storms, many are focusing on safety and helping each other rebuild.
“People that we know are okay. We know others and friends of ours and friends of theirs that lost people that were close to them. Just praying for them," said James Turner.
