ROWAN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — A storm that moved through Rowan County into Clearfield left a trail of downed trees, blocked roads, and power outages early Thursday morning.
Neighbors described intense conditions as the storm passed through.
"Just the wind and rain, it was going this way and that way. It just seem like it was coming up," said Brandy Adams, a Clearfield resident.
After the storm passed, tree limbs covered roads and downed trees landed on power lines, knocking out electricity for residents and nearby businesses that were unable to open.
Near the Bath County, Rowan County border, a tree fell on a vehicle, blocking the road and leaving drivers with no way around.
Bethel-Sharpsburg Fire Chief Ike France described the initial storm response as chaotic.
"It started out kind of hectic," he said.
Emergency crews were out by 8 a.m. Thursday clearing trees from roads. The storm slowed down drivers and prevented emergency vehicles from getting through. France said such conditions can pose a serious public safety risk.
"If there is an emergency, then you can't get an ambulance or a fire truck in. That's the biggest issue," he said.
France also pointed to proactive tree trimming along roadways as a way to reduce damage from future storms, stating that cutting back trees along roads could prevent the same level of damage seen Thursday.
Neither Bath, nor Rowan County Emergency management teams didn't report anything serious during the storms.
