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Aug. 1, 2022, 3:24 p.m.

Catastrophic flooding in Eastern Kentucky causes death and destruction

Summary

Eastern Kentucky is the epicenter Friday of the nation's latest extreme weather disaster. At least 16 people have died in flooding that rewrote the record books and ravaged neighboring states as well. For a transcript of the story, click here . Editor’s note: As of July 31, the death toll from the Kentucky floods has risen to 26.

Five Facts

  • How many people had died from the flood (see editor's note)?
  • What was the reaction of Kentucky resident Rachel Patton to the flood?
  • Why is it difficult for the National Guard and search and rescue crew to find missing people?*
  • Who is the governor of Kentucky?
  • Where else in the country has dangerous flooding been a problem?
*Why is there so much flooding in Kentucky? (for more info, watch Why is eastern Kentucky so prone to flooding? or if you want to use one of your 5 free monthly New York Times articles (better yet, get the free teacher subscription here !) read this piece How Coal Mining and Years of Neglect Left Kentucky Towns at the Mercy of Flooding .

Focus Questions

What is climate change's role in increased flooding and overall extreme weather patterns in the U.S. in recent years? How do you think this could be proven or shown to be true? Media literacy: Why do you think reporters chose to highlight the two women in the video affected by the flood, Rachel Patton from Kentucky and Victoria Adams from Missouri? (Think about what they said, how they felt, who they were with, how they appeared, etc.)

For More

What students can do If you live in an area prone to flooding, visit the Red Cross’ website on flood safety that tells you what to do before, during, and after a flood. Additionally, for any natural disaster, learn more about how to build your own survival kit . Watch this video to learn more: [embed]
[/embed] For more Learn more how the Kentucky floods have been harming a major Appalachian cultural center in this article .
Evelyn Chi, a rising sophomore at Amherst College and intern with NewsHour Classroom, wrote today’s Daily News Lesson with editing by Luke Gerwe. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each morning of the school year. Fill out this form to share your thoughts on today’s lesson.

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