By Mike Templeton
Eastern Kentucky and other parts of the southern Appalachian region are once again being ravaged by floods, with people again left homeless, isolated, without electricity and fresh water. The floods were precipitated by a combination of heavy rain over the weekend combined with snow melt. It all came together to cause rivers to rise dramatically, and overtake banks. On February 17, The New York Times reported that “Since Friday, as much as seven inches of rain has fallen onto the state [of Kentucky], according to the National Weather Service, causing swollen rivers to overflow into communities, including some that are still reeling from catastrophic floods in 2022.” This flood, unlike the ones in 2022 and 2024, happened as the temperatures began dropping in the area, and now many communities are dealing with snow and ice as well. Here is information on how you might choose to help.
Readers likely remember that Urban Appalachian Community Coalition member Pauletta Hansel wrote about the floods in 2022. As someone who grew up in the region and knows people who are still there, she understands better than most how these events unfold. On behalf of UACC, Pauletta is organizing a delivery of needed goods to Leslie County, Kentucky. Information about this may be found below.
Pauletta told me this time around appears to offer a new set of complications: “The timing of this February flood allowed for a little more preparation, but in its way, it was just as devastating. It re-damaged areas that had been wiped out by the 2022 flood such as Fleming Neon, in Letcher County where I lived as a kid. There, they had just begun to recover when they were hit with massive mud and water again.” Although the preparations certainly helped matters, the flood still managed to overtake people and the systems they had in place. The flood this time around came at them from new directions. Pauletta continued: “It also hit areas that had been mostly spared last time. For example, in Leslie County, where my mom was from, one of my cousins spent the night in a tent on the hill above her flooded house, as any rescue attempt was too dangerous. Luckily, she can get back in, but with the cold and snow, others aren’t so lucky. Utilities like power and water are being affected throughout as well.” Indeed, power outages are reported all over the region. And the loss of electricity and power coincides with dropping temperatures and continued chances for snow.
People in the State of Kentucky and the neighboring states are struggling. People on the ground in areas of Eastern Kentucky are literally using social media to ask for individual assistance to help rescue people who have become trapped by flood waters. We are talking about people who are stuck in cars at gas stations that have become surrounded by flood waters. The Eastern Kentucky Mutual Aid Facebook account has posted one call for help after another. In areas like Floyd and Letcher Counties, people have become cut off and isolated by flooding and need to be lifted out by boat. Again, The NYT reports that the Kentucky National Guard has deployed 170 people to parts of Eastern Kentucky to assist with rescue and flood relief. At this point, 11 people have been reported dead. Governor Beshear said that authorities have done more than 300 rescues. Pike County appears to be one of the places hardest hit with 40,000 people without power at this time.
While Governor Beshear did say that responders were better prepared for these floods than they were in 2022, the flooding has nevertheless overwhelmed rescue and emergency services. As mentioned above, winter weather, freezing temperatures, and snow have compounded the difficulties people are facing, and these conditions have also complicated efforts to provide assistance. The winter weather increases road damage, and produces crushing conditions for those who are out of doors, are without power, and those who have become isolated due to the floods. Misty Skaggs of Eastern Kentucky Mutual Aid said that many people are hoping to receive generators and propane heaters to get them through. Some people are finding shelter in motels beyond the range of the flooded areas, but money for this runs out pretty fast, as anyone could imagine. EKY Mutual Aid is looking for monetary donations along with material donations. A list will be provided below.
Joe Gallenstein from Kentuckians for the Commonwealth provided a list of aid and assistance contact information which we posted on the UACC Facebook page. Gallenstein also stated he would “be willing to help coordinate moving things from Greater Cincinnati to Prestonsburg/Hazard/London areas.” Gallenstein’s post also comes with a caution for everyone who wants to help. It is tempting to want to roll up your sleeves and go to the places affected to help them. We are all being warned to not travel these areas. Roads are flooded, access is extremely limited and dangerous, and emergency services of all kinds are stretched beyond their limits. They do not need anyone turning up to become another person in need of help, and that is likely what will happen to anyone who travels to the area. Please provide assistance through the proper channels.
The emphasis now is to get assistance where it is needed. In addition to our own efforts to provide needed supplies, there are several sound and well-respected groups who have websites that can direct you to ways of providing assistance that will make sure your donations go where they are needed most. Websites and support information are below. The provides links to online aid groups. You can also keep up by following the Urban Appalachian Community Coalition online. With so many people in greater Cincinnati who have ties and family to Eastern Kentucky and other areas impacted by the floods, we will surely be able to do our part get folks through this once again.
Here is Kentuckians for the Commonwealth organizer Joe Gallenstein’s list of resources .
The form from the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky is for monetary donations and can be found here: https://appalachianky.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1170.
The Facebook page for EKY Mutual Aid is at this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2557126217948530.
The UACC Facebook page also provides numerous places where you can donate goods and funds to help. That link is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1545579985695212.
A list of resources from Appalshop can be found at this link: https://appalshop.org/news/appalachian-flood-support-resources.
Michael Templeton is a writer, and independent scholar. He is the author of The Chief of Birds: A Memoir published with Erratum Press and Impossible to Believe, published by Iff Books. He is also the author of Collected Apoems, forthcoming from LJMcD Communications and the awaiting of awaiting: a novella, with Nut Hole Publishing. Check out his profile in UACC’s Cultural Directory. He has published numerous articles and essays on contemporary culture and works of creative non-fiction as well as experimental works and poetry. He lives in West Milton, Ohio with his wife who is an artist.