Manuel Holland, a lifelong resident of Perry County, has witnessed his fair share of flooding. However, he describes the recent surge of water as unprecedented.
"First off, it was real hard," Holland said. "It's the highest I've ever seen."
While many in his community lost valuable possessions, Holland maintains a positive outlook, emphasizing that his life is what matters most.
"The water kept getting up, getting up, and I kept moving my campers and stuff up," Holland said. "I moved them up to the highest part, and it started getting under my air conditioners and everything."
The aftermath of the flooding has left a mountain of debris in Hazard, where local officials are continuing their efforts to assist affected residents. Hazard Police report that a significant mount of debris has accumulated since the flooding began last Sunday.
Mayor Donald Mobelini highlighted the extent of the disaster, expressing concern for those hit hardest.
"We have people living right here in town, who lost their home, all of their belongings, their car, and their business is in their home," Mobelini said. "So they had 3 wammies at once."
As of last week, Mobelini reported that Hazard saw just under 300 damaged properties, his own included.
The arrival of FEMA representatives in Hazard this week provided a glimmer of hope for the community. Accompanied by Governor Andy Beshear, FEMA officials worked to assist residents in applying for disaster relief funds.
"They have been here every day, every time. As soon as something happens, they're one call away. We don't have to call, they call us," Mobelini said.
Perry County is no stranger to flooding; the area faced similar challenges most recently in 2022.
Rather than feeling defeated, Mobelini emphasized the community's resilience.
"Eastern Kentucky, we are the most resilient people in the world. Things knock us down, but we never stay down. We have so many people willing to help," Mobelini said with pride.
Holland echoed this sentiment of gratitude and resilience, acknowledging that despite having to restart multiple times, he remains thankful for the opportunity to overcome adversity.
“The Lord’s blessed me in every way. And you can’t thank him enough, you know,” he said.
As Perry County begins its recovery, the focus remains on rebuilding lives and supporting one another in the face of overwhelming challenges.
