Author: Kristina P. Brant, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology, Penn State

In many of Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas, residents have little choice but rebuild in risky locations

Kristina P. Brant, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology, Penn StateLeave a Comment on In many of Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas, residents have little choice but rebuild in risky locations

On Valentine’s Day 2025, heavy rains started to fall in parts of rural Appalachia. Over the course of a few days, residents in eastern Kentucky watched as river levels rose and surpassed flood levels. Emergency teams conducted over 1,000 water rescues. Hundreds, if not thousands of people were displaced from homes, and entire business districts […]

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Why people rebuild in Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas despite the risks

Kristina P. Brant, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology, Penn StateLeave a Comment on Why people rebuild in Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas despite the risks

On Valentine’s Day 2025, heavy rains started to fall in parts of rural Appalachia. Over the course of a few days, residents in eastern Kentucky watched as river levels rose and surpassed flood levels. Emergency teams conducted over 1,000 water rescues. Hundreds, if not thousands of people were displaced from homes, and entire business districts […]

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