Cold weather not coming at a good time for EKY flood survivors

KNOTT COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Cold weather is not coming at a good time for Eastern Kentucky flood survivors.

Many homes damaged by flood waters are not yet ready for heat, or to be inhabited again.

There are many homes along KY 550 in Hindman that still need a lot of work to be livable again after the floods. Now, with cold weather upon us, it’s yet another challenge to deal with.

“We’ll make do. Do the best we can. We will be alright,” said Ray Baker, Knott County resident.

Baker and his family went from living in a three-bedroom, two-bath home to a travel trailer at a campground.

With winter coming, and cold weather already here, he’s not looking forward to electric heat as opposed to the fireplace in his old home.

“Yeah, it’s electric heat. It’s a lot warmer with that fireplace. I was looking forward to that this winter,” Baker said.

He’s among many staying at the campground, still not sure what the future holds. However, he says he has his faith and that is pushing him along.

“Don’t get to feeling sorry for yourself because, I promise you, that if you open your eyes and look, there is somebody in an awful worse shape than you are,” Baker said. “I was talking to a guy in Jackson, there was a box off a truck and this poor woman was living in that.”

Knott County officials say 60 families are living in the travel trailers. They say, in the last few weeks, 14 families have been able to move from travel trailers to more permanent housing.

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