By P. Nick Curran & Griffin McMorrow
On February 15, 2025, a catastrophic flood ravaged McDowell County, West Virginia, and much of the state’s southern coalfields. At least three people were reported dead due to the flash flooding, with dozens more reported missing and more than 700 rescued. Damage to housing and infrastructure is expected to reach millions of dollars.
This latest flood follows similarly destructive bouts of flooding in the region in 2016, 2002, 2001 and 1977. While much of southern West Virginia is especially vulnerable to flooding due to the state’s topography along with the long term ramifications of strip mining and timbering, McDowell County faces additional challenges. The county ranks first in the WV Social Vulnerability Index, a socio-economic resiliency indicator, revealing which communities are less likely to recover from a flood disaster quickly and fully. McDowell is the eighth poorest county in the country. Because 60% of the land is owned by corporations and insurance in flood zones is expensive, fewer than 3% of residential structures have flood insurance. This is one of the lowest flood insurance penetration rates in the state.
In press conferences since the flooding, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey has stressed that his administration is looking to help where they can, as well as warning that these recovery efforts can take time. He also said that his administration will conduct a thorough review of both the response and recovery efforts to find ways to improve if and when the next disaster strikes.
But West Virginia officials have a history of ignoring and underfunding protection plans, as well as many other needs in the state’s southern coalfields. And economic factors mixing with polycrises such as addiction, isolation, lack of potable water, and limited access to affordable and nutritious food has led to a pessimistic mindset which community leaders say it’s hard to break from.
“What this place needs is hope,” Alicia Vest of Matoaka Outreach says about her hometown of Matoaka, just over the county line in Mercer County. “[Growing up] it was so full of life, [but] as the coal mine shut down, life kind of stopped and it got stuck in a hole.”
In the weeks following the flood, Trump-appointed EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans to eliminate 65% of the agency’s budget as well as plans to scale back or eliminate 31 previously enforced regulations including clean water protections for rivers and streams. Prior to announcing plans to dismantle FEMA just this week, Trump has issued executive orders calling for state and local governments to “play a more active and significant role in national resilience and preparedness.” While critics — both in West Virginia and across the country — have acknowledged the need for reform, many worry that this slash-and-burn approach may leave communities like McDowell, who cannot fund a full recovery on their own, even more vulnerable.
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Previously Published on 100daysinappalachia with Creative Commons License
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Photo credit: Flooding cleanup in McDowell County, West Virginia. Photo: P. Nick Curran/100 Days in Appalachia
