ARY, Ky. — Kentucky is approaching a somber anniversary. It’s been nearly two years since historic and deadly flash flooding affected thousands of Kentuckians in the eastern part of the state.

The twists and turns of Troublesome Creek are mirrored by the corners of Highway 476 and both wind their way through the hollers of Perry County like a roadmap to the communities impacted by historic flash flooding two years ago.

“It’s just devastation all the way around, still, yet, you know, two years later,” Gabby Akers said..

On July 27, 2022, rising water swept through Ary, Kentucky. Flood water was high above where Akers is currently sitting on her sister’s deck.

“I’d never seen it even come out in the road or come up in this bottom. Never, this whole time I’ve been alive here,” Akers explained.

Aker’s sister lives in a home several hundred feet from Troublesome Creek, which is typically no deeper than a few feet. Two years ago, an incredible amount of water came rushing down the surrounding mountains and hill and at its peak, the water was 20 and 30 feet higher than its typical bank.

“People that we knew … they got swept away,” Akers said. More than 40 Kentuckians died in the flood or from illnesses directly linked to it.

And 13 counties were declared Federal Disaster Areas, including Perry. Along Highway 476, you will find homes rebuilt.

“If one person had something, the other person had the same, and it really was a lot of teamwork and compassion and love like everybody came together,” Akers explained.

Two years later, some scars are more visible than ever.

“You can see how high the water had gotten up. I mean, it had gotten up about 10 feet on the building,” Ary resident Ray Turner said. Turner has lived in Ary for nearly 40 years. 

“But in many instances, you still can see houses that are still in a state of falling apart,” Turner does point out the immense effort to repair and improve the roadways, bridges and culverts in Perry County and in other impacted areas.

New culverts are designed to lessen the impact of flash flooding, “So hopefully, as water rises it’ll go through rather than up and over,” Turner explained.

It’s an appreciation shared by Gabby Akers. “You have a whole new respect for these state workers, for FEMA workers, that are out here day and night, the linemen and all of that because without all of them we could have nothing,” Akers said.