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PHOTOS: Here's how eastern Kentucky looks after devastating floods

By Justin Hicks
Published August 6, 2022 at 2:00 PM EDT
After catastrophic flooding in eastern Kentucky in 2022, families still need assistance. But locals say the state's current plan for federal aid isn't what they expected.
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After catastrophic flooding in eastern Kentucky in 2022, families still need assistance. But locals say the state's current plan for federal aid isn't what they expected.
Justin Hicks
Volunteers and church groups came out to places like this storefront in downtown Fleming-Neon to scrape mud out of homes and businesses.
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Volunteers and church groups came out to places like this storefront in downtown Fleming-Neon to scrape mud out of homes and businesses.
Justin Hicks
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Justin Hicks
Appalshop was hit by the historic late July 2022 flooding. The organization lost archival film, video and other cultural items.
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Appalshop was hit by the historic late July 2022 flooding. The organization lost archival film, video and other cultural items.
Justin Hicks
A car was picked up and tossed into trees along a creek that flooded near Jenkins, Ky.
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A car was picked up and tossed into trees along a creek that flooded near Jenkins, Ky.
Justin Hicks
Many roads into hollers in the Jenkins, Ky. area are still heavily damaged from the flood.
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Many roads into hollers in the Jenkins, Ky. area are still heavily damaged from the flood.
Justin Hicks
People clean up after eastern Ky. floods.
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People clean up after eastern Ky. floods.
Justin Hicks
Local officials in areas of eastern Kentucky were supposed to be involved in planning for floods, but some said they had no idea plans even existed.
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Local officials in areas of eastern Kentucky were supposed to be involved in planning for floods, but some said they had no idea plans even existed.
Justin Hicks
FEMA has several mobile registration units in eastern Kentucky and kiosks at disaster recovery centers to help people apply for aid.
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FEMA has several mobile registration units in eastern Kentucky and kiosks at disaster recovery centers to help people apply for aid.
Justin Hicks
In downtown Neon, Kentucky debris fills the sidewalks as locals and volunteers gut water damaged buildings.
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In downtown Neon, Kentucky debris fills the sidewalks as locals and volunteers gut water damaged buildings.
Justin Hicks
Many cars were tossed through yards and on top of porches by the fast moving current of flood waters.
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Many cars were tossed through yards and on top of porches by the fast moving current of flood waters.
Justin Hicks
At Jenkins Middle High School, donations from locals are piled into the cafeteria as school buses wait outside to transport them.
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At Jenkins Middle High School, donations from locals are piled into the cafeteria as school buses wait outside to transport them.
Justin Hicks
Members of the National Guard have been deployed to help. While they wait for orders, many sleep and wait in local school gyms.
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Members of the National Guard have been deployed to help. While they wait for orders, many sleep and wait in local school gyms.
Justin Hicks
Arville, a resident outside of Hazard, cleans a car that was completely submerged in flood waters.
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Arville, a resident outside of Hazard, cleans a car that was completely submerged in flood waters.
Justin Hicks
An apartment outside of Hazard, Kentucky was destroyed by water and mud during the flood.
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An apartment outside of Hazard, Kentucky was destroyed by water and mud during the flood.
Justin Hicks
Some of the hardest work ahead for towns involves scraping layers upon layers of mud out of houses and streets. In Neon, Kentucky a man digs a car out of mud.
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Some of the hardest work ahead for towns involves scraping layers upon layers of mud out of houses and streets. In Neon, Kentucky a man digs a car out of mud.
Justin Hicks
Many volunteers are getting to work helping those without the ability or means to remove mud and any other flood damaged items from their houses.
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Many volunteers are getting to work helping those without the ability or means to remove mud and any other flood damaged items from their houses.
Justin Hicks

At least 37 people have died after devastating floods tore through communities in eastern Kentucky.

Communities across the region have various levels of utility connection. Schools, transportation, power and water systems will take a long time to rebuild.

Homes are gone, and lives will never be the same. Ohio Valley Resource Data Reporter Justin Hicks has been cataloguing scenes from the cleanup.
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Justin Hicks
Justin is LPM's Data Reporter. Email Justin at jhicks@lpm.org.
See stories by Justin Hicks