OAK GROVE, Ky. — Communities across Christian County are facing the aftermath of historic flooding that inundated the area late last week, turning streets into streams and displacing dozens of families.
While waters have started to recede as of Monday, the damage left behind is extensive—and the recovery is only just beginning.
From submerged streets in Oak Grove to flooded businesses in Hopkinsville, the scale of the disaster has stunned residents. Oak Meadows, a neighborhood in Oak Grove, remained ankle-deep in water days after the rain stopped. For many, like Kayla Below, the flooding came as a complete surprise.
“It started raining and the next thing we knew, we woke up to water everywhere,” said Below. “Where I live wasn’t completely underwater, thankfully, but the water got up to my leg—several feet high in some places.”
Downtown Hopkinsville, just 20 minutes from Oak Grove, was also hit hard. Streets like Main Street and areas surrounding the courthouse were swallowed by floodwaters as the Little River spilled beyond its banks. Major routes including U.S. 41 and I-169 were closed, bringing transportation to a standstill.
According to Mayor JR Knight, approximately 150 to 160 homes suffered water damage—some with flooded crawl spaces, others with water inside the homes themselves. Several public buildings and about 25 businesses were also affected.
“We’ve never seen anything like this since ’97,” Knight said. “It came fast—12 to 13 inches of rain fell in a short window. One moment you’re driving, and the next, the water’s over your hood.”
The emergency response was swift. Fire Chief and EMS Director Steven Futrell reported that over a three-day period, crews performed 20 rescues and saved nearly 50 pets from a local pet lodge that had flooded.
“The silver lining is that we didn’t have any serious injuries,” Futrell noted. “This is why we train—because when something like this hits, we have to act fast.”
Though some neighborhoods were spared the worst, the emotional toll is evident. Below, who avoided major damage herself, expressed heartbreak for her neighbors.
“My heart goes out to everyone who lost belongings or had their homes damaged,” she said. “It’s devastating to see this happen so close to home.”
City officials are urging affected residents to document all damage by taking photos of their homes and belongings. This documentation will be forwarded to FEMA in hopes of securing federal assistance for the community.
As the waters fade, the true cost of the disaster begins to emerge—but so does the resilience of the community, determined to rebuild and recover, together.
