Severe flooding has hit many communities and small towns in Kentucky,
including places that were already damaged by previous flooding and other
natural disaster incidents. Many firefighters and National Guard troops
rushed into Eastern Kentucky following the conclusion of the flooding,
rescuing many people trapped under debris, deep water, or on their own
rooftops. Currently, 26 people have passed away due to this tragedy, with
officials expecting the number to be much higher in the following weeks.
In the past year, Kentucky residents have felt tragedy, anguish, and fear
following a flash flood last July that destroyed a great number of private
properties, a hail storm that cut of power from more than 150,000 citizens,
and also tornadoes in December that tragically killed more than 80 people
and also left many others with their property damaged.
Even more tragically, many of these natural disasters have disproportionately
affected rural areas that were already struggling due to damage from natural
disasters in the past.
Hargis Epperson, the county coroner, of one of these rural towns said that
“We had another flood, a record flood, not 12 months ago, and a lot of families
had just started getting their lives back on track. Now it’s happened all over
again, worse this time. Everybody’s lost everything, twice.”
In another small town in Kentucky called Hazard, 24 adults, 5 children, and 5
dogs were forced to take shelter in a church. Their homes were either flooded
or destroyed in mudslides.
Although these towns are struggling, a local resident optimistically noted
that without outside support “this would be unsurvivable. “The federal
government’s resources and our faith in God is the only thing that’s going to
get us through this.”
including places that were already damaged by previous flooding and other
natural disaster incidents. Many firefighters and National Guard troops
rushed into Eastern Kentucky following the conclusion of the flooding,
rescuing many people trapped under debris, deep water, or on their own
rooftops. Currently, 26 people have passed away due to this tragedy, with
officials expecting the number to be much higher in the following weeks.
In the past year, Kentucky residents have felt tragedy, anguish, and fear
following a flash flood last July that destroyed a great number of private
properties, a hail storm that cut of power from more than 150,000 citizens,
and also tornadoes in December that tragically killed more than 80 people
and also left many others with their property damaged.
Even more tragically, many of these natural disasters have disproportionately
affected rural areas that were already struggling due to damage from natural
disasters in the past.
Hargis Epperson, the county coroner, of one of these rural towns said that
“We had another flood, a record flood, not 12 months ago, and a lot of families
had just started getting their lives back on track. Now it’s happened all over
again, worse this time. Everybody’s lost everything, twice.”
In another small town in Kentucky called Hazard, 24 adults, 5 children, and 5
dogs were forced to take shelter in a church. Their homes were either flooded
or destroyed in mudslides.
Although these towns are struggling, a local resident optimistically noted
that without outside support “this would be unsurvivable. “The federal
government’s resources and our faith in God is the only thing that’s going to
get us through this.”
