Rural Research Briefs
Shawn Poynter / There Is More Work To Be Done
Shawn Poynter / There Is More Work To Be Done
RURAL RESEARCH BRIEF: Natural Disasters and Resiliency in Central Appalachia
Frequent natural disasters are increasingly threatening rural communities, upsetting essential functions and infrastructure, affecting rural health, and compromising communities’ safety and livelihoods. Severe weather events, particularly flooding and hurricanes, have especially affected Central Appalachia in recent years. The historic 2022 Kentucky floods, Hurricane Helene, and ongoing flooding in 2025 demonstrate the region’s vulnerability to increasingly erratic and intense weather patterns. Today, resiliency is a vital and relevant topic in rural research as regions like Central Appalachia grapple with increasingly severe natural disasters. This report leverages secondary data from journal articles, reports, and analyses from relevant sources investigating the region’s resiliency, recovery efforts, the effects of natural disasters on the region, and their intersection with ongoing challenges.
Central Appalachia Rural Research Brief
