Kentucky and Missouri floods reveal gaps in rural disaster recovery

Major flash flooding hit eastern Kentucky and eastern Missouri in late July 2022, damaging homes, businesses, roads and vehicles. NOAA reported the Kentucky and Missouri flooding event caused about $1.6 billion in CPI-adjusted damage and 42 deaths. President Joe Biden approved federal aid for Kentucky, but long-term recovery in rural Appalachian communities depended on housing, road repair, debris removal and whether survivors could document losses.