20 years after a deadly tornado ripped through an Eastern Kentucky city, a warning system there is questionable at best.

20 years ago, the people of Middlesboro were cleaning up after a deadly tornado tore right through the city on May 9th, 1988. There was a problem with the city's alarm system then and still today, 20 years after the disaster.

"It was a dark rainy night, saw buildings partially down. It was frightening," said Middlesboro Councilman Gary Mills.

It was a tough task ahead for the people of Middlesboro after a tornado had cut a large swath of damage right through the city killing one person and injuring several others. Just as soon as the clean-up began, there were already questions about why there was no warning.

"I don't think anybody realized it was coming, just came so fast," said Jackie Ayers.

Middlesboro had a flood warning system put in place in the 1970's, sirens that could also be used for a tornado warning, but many Middlesboro residents say they heard nothing that night except for the tornado roaring through town.

"I know they tried to use it that night and it didn't work like it's supposed to," said Jeff Sharpe, Middlesboro Police Chief.

In the years after the deadly twister, the city tried to get the system up and running.

"Tried to get the system worked on and had trouble finding anyone who even understood the system because it was 20 years old by that time," Sharpe said.

City officials admit to this day the sirens don't work properly, but they've recently talked with the Army Corp of Engineers who are planning on installing a new flood detection system.

"What we've asked is to see if we can get a manual component so we can use it for other disasters which a tornado would obviously be one of them," Sharpe said.

But city officials say warning systems are expensive and in a time of cutbacks, it will be tough to secure the money needed to get it up and running.