News

Actions

Russell County Residents Trapped by Flooding

Posted at 5:50 PM, Mar 06, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-06 18:31:19-05

RUSSELL COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) – While last month’s terrible flooding across Kentucky is a thing of the past to many of us, there are some people who are still suffering the repercussions.

Lately, the small cluster of farms in a pocket of Russell County has resembled an island and the people who live here feel stuck at sea. They can’t leave their homes and feel like they have been forgotten.

Like any island, you need a boat to get back and forth. Kathy Campbell thankfully does.

As relentless rain battered Kentucky late last month, the Army corps of Engineers increased the levels of discharge at Wolf Creek Dam. the announcement came with a warning…that people downstream may be impacted.

No one expected that impact to be felt two weeks later.

Campbell says that while she has spoken to emergency officials, she always has to have been the one to initiate conversations and residents have received no indication of when the water will go down.

“The daily challenges that go with this…the things you take for granted, or go to work like you’re supposed to …or keep a doctor’s appointment,” said Campbell.

The Emergency Management Director for Russell County disputed Campbell’s characterization of the situation and says they’ve responded to their concerns and continue to monitor the floodwaters.