Kentucky church youth group eager to rebuild after catastrophic flooding
It's been one week since historic flooding hit five counties of Kentucky, devastating lives and communities. Cleanup has begun, and the tragic reality of a region changed forever is setting in.
Residents ponder whether or not they can rebuild after historic Kentucky flooding
FOX Weather's Robert Ray spoke to members of a church youth group that's cleaning up Neon, Kentucky following historic flooding. Many of them are eager to rebuild.
It's been one week since historic flooding eastern Kentucky, devastating lives and communities. Cleanup has begun, and the tragic reality of a region changed forever is setting in.
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray spoke to a church youth group and their youth pastor working to clean out parts of a flooded building in Neon, Kentucky.
Covered in mud in the baking heat, the teens told Ray they believed their community could rebuild.
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray spoke to a church youth group in and their youth pastor working to clean out parts of a flooded building in Neon, Kentucky. (FOX Weather)
"I'm a little in shock still. I was in Alabama when this all happened," a youth group member said. "So to come home to something like this is it's hard. I mean, I grew up here. This is my childhood, and it's in shambles right now. But we're getting there. We're building back up."
The youth pastor said she has heard from other businesses in the area that they don't plan to rebuild.
'HOUSES ARE FLOATING AWAY': FAMILIES TRAPPED AS FLOODWATERS TEAR THROUGH EASTERN KENTUCKY
"We'll have a few older churches, I think. We'll try to build back," she said. "We've got a huge church in the middle of town, and … everything in it was destroyed. But the building is there."
The pastor's home was flooded, and she said it had about "300,000 rocks on it."
Cleanup is underway after historic flooding hit parts of Kentucky. (FOX Weather)
All four rooms are full of mud, and because of a nearby bridge collapse, she hasn't been able to get an excavator to the property yet.
Another teen told Ray they are hopeful because of the outpouring of support from Kentucky and outside the state.
HERO ON THE WATER: RELATIVE AMONG SEVERAL KENTUCKIANS RESCUED BY KAYAKER
"I'm hopeful that we will rebuild. But it'll it's going to be a long process," he said. "It's going to be a very long process."
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said that many people here don't have flood insurance, worrying that more rain and flash flooding scenarios could occur in the coming days.
Cleanup is underway after historic flooding hit parts of Kentucky. (FOX Weather)