May 18, 2013
A Local 8 Weather Alert has been issued for today. Because of the threat of rain, thunder and even hail, outdoor activities may be disrupted or inconvenienced. What's going on? An upper-level low will be moving across East Tennessee today, creating a more unstable atmosphere.
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT)-- The clean up at Mountain Cove Marina continues a week after a powerful storm tore through the area. While many boats didn't fair well during the storm; one man and his dog survived to tell his story.
Phillip Barrett and his dog Buck have lived on a 65 foot, 3 bedroom and 2 bathroom houseboat at the Mountain Cove Marina for years. However, on Thursday July 5th everything changed when a storm rolled through.
"I heard storm warnings all day and finally decided to tie a few extra ropes from the boat to the dock. When I went outside I saw a wall of water and dark storm clouds in the distance." said Phillip
Within minutes the storm pushed through pulling Phillip's home from the dock to the shore of the lake. For 45 minutes, Phillip and his dog Buck stayed put inside as waves crashed over the boat.
"I thought we were going to tip over. The waves wouldn't stop and the wind kept hollowing."
Once it was over they both got out without any injuries but Mother Nature left a path of damage behind.
"Pieces of boats, wood, and plastic where spread throughout the marina. Water had filled the bottom of my boat where the generator and engine sat." Phillip said.
For now, the houseboat is still stuck on shore and Phillip is waiting to hear back from the insurance company. Also, the Mountain Cove Marina is making a dent in the clean up but they still are waiting to find out how much money it will cost to rebuild.
The National Weather Service estimates the wind speed from the storm reached between 60-70 mph. However, they do say the winds would have picked up going across the lake due to the lack of friction.
