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Roanoke, Va. (WDBJ) – “These communities are in absolute crisis. That’s what comes after a disaster like this, says Liesel Ritchie, associate director of Virginia Tech’s Center for Coastal Studies.
For Eastern Kentucky residents, disaster struck overnight in late July.
“Flash floods are rare events, they don’t happen very often,” said Robert Weiss, director of Virginia Tech’s Center for Coastal Studies.
“The magnitude of that, the scope, the speed at which it happened, there was very little warning,” Rich said.
The relief effort has been going on day and night. But experts at the Virginia Tech Coastal Research Center say the recovery process could take years.
“Once these flood waters recede, people are going to need help, they’re going to need financial support and they’re going to need social support,” Ritchie said.
Experts at Virginia Tech’s Coastal Research Center have been studying such natural disasters for years. They say these types of events can also serve as a warning to flood-prone areas, including in Southwest Virginia.
“When these warnings are issued for flash floods, we need to take them seriously. There are also opportunities for people living near rivers. Also, maybe take a step; “Not only do you take these warnings seriously, but you also prepare their families in case something like this happens,” Weiss said.
President Joe Biden plans to travel to the affected areas on Monday. Virginia Tech experts say communities weather these events, and that’s exactly what Eastern Kentucky has.
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