OAK GROVE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Maddana Gibson had no idea that within weeks of purchasing her home, a flood would devastate Oak Grove and leave the house uninhabitable. As the surrounding area focuses on cleanup, Gibson’s home and several others are still stewing in sewage contaminated water.
“This is like something you see on TV. This is impossible,” she told Christian County Now. “It’s like people don’t care. I thought I was moving somewhere with a quiet neighborhood and nice area, but this stuff happened, and I wish I didn’t buy it.”
Having just purchased her house on Lillian Drive back in March, Gibson and her two adult sons were excited to move to Oak Grove and settle into the community. She even invested $15,000 to refurbish her basement and had been working hard to make the home her own. When the rain that would trigger a flood began to fall at the beginning of April, she noticed immediately that her backyard was quickly filling with water.
“Me and my sons had gotten up to let the dogs out, and we realized we had no backyard,” she said. “We threw stuff in suitcases, and we just left because it was coming to the front then. All the neighbors were in the front yard trying to save stuff and packing up and leaving.”
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Returning home after a month
The weekend of the flood in early April, Gibson was able to safely evacuate along with her sons and two dogs. The family has been squeezing into Airbnb’s and hotels since then. A pump was installed in mid-April on Man O War Drive to manually extract the floodwater from the neighborhood, but water levels are still high in some areas.
A month later, on May 4, she was accompanied by FEMA to do a walk-through of the damage, making it the first time she was able to return to the residence since the flood. While the water in the front yard had gone down some, the newly refurbished basement was still submerged in knee deep contaminated water, the backyard remains submerged, and the majority of the neighborhood is 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 feels that the damage in Oak Grove has been overlooked, with surrounding cities and the county already moving on.
“It just makes you feel hopeless. No one cares that I can’t go home,” she added. “I just want people to remember that there are still people out there suffering.” She acknowledged that the Oak Grove Community Center has been providing resources and materials, and she has been working with the Red Cross to get assistance in paying for temporary housing. But, she is still frustrated with the lack of direct action and support from the city, and the long timeline of the pumping.
In the meantime, her family is attempting to adapt to their tight living situation and go about their everyday lives while they wait for a long-term solution. “I don’t need a handout, I need what I am owed. I earned it. Now, I live like I am in squalor,” she said.
Those who are in need of assistance can meet with FEMA in person at the Murray State University in Hopkinsville.
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