‘Heartbreaking:’ Buckhorn School in Perry Co. severely damaged by flash flooding

PERRY COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Dangerous flood waters destroyed homes and damaged other structures, including a large school in a small eastern Kentucky community.

People said they had to jump out of windows to escape the flash flood. The Buckhorn School in Perry County suffered catastrophic damage.

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Most of the damage and destruction was caused by the Squabble Creek, which shoots off from the middle fork of the Kentucky River. On a normal day, it’s a peaceful stream, but overnight, it became something of a rushing and dangerous river.

Tammy Eversole watched as the creek rose and knew she had to get to higher ground. It’s a good thing, because her home is now a pile of rubble in the creek. Nothing is left, yet she’s thankful.

“So God has just been really good to us. We were here. We weren’t over here when the house left,” Eversole said.

The same creek that took her home overtook Buckhorn School, that in two weeks was preparing to welcome back 340 kindergarten through 12th graders. The water ripped and tore up the parking lot like it was made of paper, and water breached the school, bringing debris and parts of homes with it.

“It’s really heartbreaking when you pull up and come into the parking lot and see the devastation and the damage,” Buckhorn School principal Tim Wooten said.

“The water was coming over the bridge. You can see the debris. Broke through the fences, all the way back, cars going through the back. It’s gone. Moved another building through the middle of the road,” said Rebecca Ramey, who lives in Buckhorn.

It will take a while to know the extent of the damage. Principal Wooten said if there is any good news, there was a large tree in the middle of one hallway that actually blocked some of the debris from getting further into the school.

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