09/08/2023
** News update***
We ARE SAFE!
We are SAFE ever so grateful for being spared from this HORRIBLE storm!!!!
To and for those who have not seen the news or weather, our area, Knoxville, Tennessee, was absolutely SLAMMED with an EF2 tornado. The tornado touched down in the west Knox area and it’s main area of damage was roughly between 2-4 miles from us.
Winds were reported to be 130 MPH at the area (*Lovell Road) per the National Weather Service and the area of Karns, Cedar Bluff and Farragut had winds just shy of 70 MPH. We are not too far from any of these other locations. So if you all have been here to pick up a pup- think your literally getting off the parkway or the interstate I-40/I-75…. We are close to the parkway and the interstate and you would pass all this damage to be at our home.
The damage here is extensive, devastating, and horrible. My heart is so sad for those who are trying to figure out what to do, where to stay or live currently--- lets add that school started here yesterday and today. I have literally opened my doors offering family friends and others housing but they cannot get here.
The main impact of the storm hit about 3 PM and I had just returned home from lunch with family; I had no more than closed the garage, let dogs go potty, and log into a work meeting before we had our area slammed losing power and the outside rumbling. Every cell phone and TV alarm was going off with warnings. Outside was scary, super dark, I ran with dogs to the safest area in our home and grabbed all their blankets and crates to keep them as safe as possible. They thought it was a sleeping house party but it was all about safety.
We stayed in our safe space – bathroom in the hall- until I could watch the storm pass on WBIR 10 app. Those guys are such a blessing for being so concerned and keeping all safe each and every day, but especially yesterday. We lost power 3 times and finally got back late last night. Power – is still out in many areas in town and some have been told they will hopefully have power Thursday or Friday because so many power lines down everywhere and streets are closed.
An office that I used to work in, less then 4 miles from the house, had windows all blown out and the apartment behind the old office took a brutal hit. I believe the apartment complex, right behind the office, had 10 or 12 buildings with about half lost the roof and the other half spared, the garage has been crumbled to absolutely nothing. The house behind the complex lost roof and has been slammed. Trees are on houses everywhere between this apartment complex and the mall- which is about an 8 mile area of distance.
I mean trees that have crunched homes into, entire trees between 50-100 years old flipped like twigs. I believe they stated per our utility companies who are working around the clock we had approximately 3-5 counties without power in total was about 50k people.
** Pictures were shared on area pages and I do not own the rights to nor do I have any credit for. This is all damage less then 4 miles from our home.
