Along KY 112 sits Suthards Missionary Baptist Church.
Its marquee shares the message of Psalm 46:10 from the King James Version: “Be still and know that I am God.” Toppled trees cover the property, and downed power lines are deactivated nearby. The white building, and its steeple, unscathed.
The residents of Lyon, Caldwell, Hopkins and Muhlenberg counties had little choice but to reflect on such scripture Sunday night, when an EF3 tornado formed ahead of a massive front — and swept an eerily familiar path, not too far from the December 2021 track.
Less than 10 miles away in either direction are the communities of Charleston and Barnsley — and both have been significantly scarred once again.
On 2904 Daylight Drive in Charleston, Raymond Emery is renting from his nephew and has been living there for six years. The property had gone mostly unharmed three years ago with that massive EF4, and this time around, he decided to have a nap with his dog — Brandon — when the power and water went out earlier Sunday.
As soon as he got up, something hit the roof. He jumped down on the floor, got under the coffee table, and the glass started flying. Three seconds later, the roar was gone.
All four walls of his home collapsed, its materials tossed carelessly about. The table, and a nearby chair, braced the structure, and he and his pup had just enough space to crawl out from the wreckage after 11 PM — the only injuries a few cuts to his hands.
Tuesday afternoon, he said several municipalities have checked in on him over the last two days as he watches over the land, and when the cleanup is finished, he plans on rebuilding there.
A nearby light pole and mailbox are askew, two of his vehicles took a couple bruises, and six buildings remain mostly untouched — one of them a large chicken coop that still has its hens and roosters. He laughed, and said he should have lived in one of the other buildings.
Less than 100 yards from Emery’s house is 3100 Daylight Road. The mailbox is unmoved. The house is disassembled.
A few miles away, on Audie and Mullenix roads along the Barnsley Loop, are several homes near Hopkins County Central High School — many of which experienced the December 2021 tornado in its full force.
At least one home in this neighborhood had since been rebuilt, only to be destroyed this past weekend.
David Zimmer, of Boone County and serving with non-profit Masters of Disaster, said he has become unfortunately familiar with west Kentucky and northwest Tennessee over the last few years.
He said their organization will be in this region at least until the mid-week, trying to certainly spend time with the uninsured. They were working with several such families Tuesday morning and afternoon.
In preparation for a family trip to visit his son in the United Kingdom, Hopkins County Judge Executive Jack Whitfield deputized his emergency management director, Nick Bailey, in case some checks or paperwork needed to be signed.
Never did he dream another twister would run an all-too-familiar path while he was away.
For those in immediate need, Hopkins County Emergency Management is located at 130 N Franklin Street in Madisonville, and can be reached by phone at (270) 821-5717.
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