Floods Devastate Communities Throughout Central Appalachia

By Ben Bolling

A series of catastrophic floods ravaged communities in Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia this July.

At press time, at least 37 people have died following flooding in Kentucky. Hundreds of homes, businesses, cultural institutions and critical infrastructure were damaged or destroyed.

Torrential rainfall also led to extreme flooding in parts of West Virginia and Southwest Virginia.

This disaster comes after other floods devastated communities in Buchanan County, Virginia, and neighboring McDowell County, West Virginia, earlier in July.

In Buchanan County, the Virginia Emergency Management Agency estimated that 32 homes were destroyed, 59 were damaged and another 36 were impacted across the region. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said over 75 homes, 12 bridges and numerous roads were damaged in McDowell County.

The governors of Kentucky and Virginia have issued statewide emergency declarations. In West Virginia, Gov. Justice declared a state of emergency in Fayette, Greenbrier, Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties.

Federal, state and local officials have responded to these events, though cleanup and recovery is expected to be a long process.

Many parts of the affected region are steep and prone to flooding during severe rain. In some areas, there are also multiple unreclaimed surface mines, which can heighten stormwater runoff.
Relief efforts were still developing at press time, and it was apparent that recovery will be a long process.

For more information and ways to help affected communities, visit our Flooding crisis in Appalachia July 2022 page.