OAK GROVE, KY — Maddana Gibson had no idea that a flood would devastate Oak Grove and render the house uninhabitable just weeks after she purchased it. While the surrounding area focuses on cleanup, Gibson’s home and several others remain submerged in sewage-contaminated water.
“This looks like something you’d see on television. “This is impossible,” she told Christian County Now. “It’s as if they don’t care. I thought I was moving to a quiet neighborhood and nice area, but this happened, and I wish I hadn’t bought it.”
Gibson and her two adult sons were excited to move to Oak Grove and settle into the community after purchasing their house on Lillian Drive in March. She even spent $15,000 to renovate her basement and had worked hard to make the house her own.
When the rain that would cause a flood began to fall in early April, she noticed right away that her backyard was rapidly filling with water.
“Me and my sons had gotten up to let the dogs out, and we realized we had no backyard,” she told me. “We threw things in suitcases and just left because it was coming to the front. All the neighbors were in the front yard, trying to save their belongings before packing up and leaving.”
Returning home after a month
Gibson and her sons, as well as two dogs, were able to safely evacuate during the flood weekend in early April. Since then, the family has been staying in Airbnbs and hotels.
In mid-April, a pump was installed on Man O War Drive to manually remove floodwater from the neighborhood, but water levels remain high in some areas.
A month later, on May 4, she was accompanied by FEMA for a walk-through of the damage, marking the first time she had been able to return to her home since the flood.
While the water in the front yard had receded slightly, the newly renovated basement was still submerged in knee-deep contaminated water, the backyard remained submerged, and the majority of the neighborhood was still inaccessible.
“I just wanted to cry,” said Gibson, describing how she felt when she entered her home. “The smell is horrible, the ground is soaking wet. I’ve lost everything I’ve worked for.”
Due to sewage contamination, the water is dangerous to go through without protection and may have spread to the items left in her house. After meeting with FEMA, she was told her submitted documents would take up to ten days to process before any further action can be decided.
Oak Grove residents still suffering
Overall, Gibson believes that the damage in Oak Grove has been overlooked, as the surrounding cities and county have already moved on.
“It just leaves you feeling hopeless. “No one cares that I can’t go home,” she said. “I just want people to remember that there are still people out there suffering.” She acknowledged that the Oak Grove Community Center has provided resources and materials, and she has worked with the Red Cross to obtain financial assistance for temporary housing.
But she is still frustrated by the city’s lack of direct action and support, as well as the pumping’s lengthy timeline.
In the meantime, her family is attempting to adjust to their cramped living conditions and go about their daily lives while they await a long-term solution. “I don’t need a handout; I want what I’m owed. I deserved it. “Now, I live like I’m in squalor,” she explained.
Those in need of assistance can meet with FEMA in person at Murray State University, Hopkinsville.
