Survival Mode Episode 7 preview: 5 harrowing details about the deadly Kentucky Floods from 2022, revisited

Season 1 Episode 7 of Survival Mode featured the 2022 Kentucky Floods, revisiting the deadly events that took place. The synopsis of the episode, as per IMDb, reads,

"In 2022, eastern Kentucky was deluged by a thousand-year flood, transforming creeks into raging rapids. In mountain towns spread across 4000 square miles, homes were swept from their foundations and residents scrambled to take shelter."

The catastrophe occurred when torrential rain fell over several counties in eastern Kentucky. On July 28, early morning, the WYMT weather team stayed on air for 4 hours to keep the people updated about what was happening around.

Read on to know harrowing details from the catastrophe, as shown in Survival Mode.

Survival Mode Episode 7 preview: 5 harrowing details about the deadly Kentucky Floods from 2022

As mentioned, the rain started to pour early morning on July 25. According to the National Weather Service in Jackson, 10 inches of rain fell in a period of 5 days. On the early morning of 28th July, the WYMT weather team (Brandon Robinson & Cameron Aaron) were on their toes to gather and relay crucial updates. The disaster was deadliest in Kentucky in over 80 years, with 45 people losing their lives and thousands of homes getting damaged and destroyed. Two years later, the community is still rebuilding its lives and homes.

Here are the 5 harrowing details from the case as shown in the Survival Mode episode titled Kentucky Floods.

1. A Relentless Downpour

The downpour began on July 25, 2022, with rain that seemed ordinary—until it didn’t. Within 24 hours, it rained heavily, and a flash flood warning started to accompany along. Some areas witnessed 4 inches of rain within an hour, and it then increased to a horrific 14 to 16 inches in just four days. This turned streams into raging torrents with no place for water to go.

2. The Night of the most violent flooding.

The Night got most violent after July 28, when water engulfed the valley. Several feet high, the current was so powerful that it lifted homes from their foundations and flipped heavy vehicles in seconds. It swept away the mobile homes entirely. Some survivors were able to escape through rooftops or upper windows as water climbed to heights.

3. The Human life loss

As mentioned, the disaster claimed around 44 lives, with victims ranging from children to the elderly. Some survivors in the Survival Mode episode narrate their stories of getting trapped in their homes with no warning. The rescue crew involved the local, state, and federal workers working around the clock to take people to a safer zone. According to reports, they saved over 1,400 people, on helicopters, boats, and successful airlifts from their rooftops and isolated ridges.

4. Nearly 9,000 homes were damaged

Reports confirm that around 9000 homes were either damaged beyond repair or completely destroyed. Thirteen counties were declared federal disaster zones, leaving hundreds of families with nowhere to go. Many ended up in FEMA trailers, community shelters, or the homes of relatives. Some have yet to return, their land still scarred by debris and unstable ground.

5. The Aftermath

The disaster left the entire area under rubble. Thick layers and mid-coated floors, walls, and the streets. Personal belongings like toys of the children and family photo frames were deeply buried in the soil. The floodwater took time to recede, revealing the devastation on the surface. Furniture was ruined and pulled out, and dumped into the yard. As one survivor and also the director of Housing Development Alliance, McRenolds, said,