Feb. 26, 2023 was the 51rst anniversary of the Buffalo Creek Flood, a coal mining disaster that killed 125 people and left 4000 homeless in this Logan County, WV community. This episode features audio from "Buffalo Creek Revisited," a 1985 documentary film produced by Mimi Pickering that looks at the impact of the disaster ten years after the flood, a story that is particularly relevant as many are questioning how, or if, Eastern Kentucky will recover after the devastating floods of July 2022. That is followed by a powerful remembrance of the disaster by survivor Billy Jack Dickerson from the 50th anniversary event held at Man High School on Feb 26, 2022.

Buffalo Creek Flood 51rst Anniversary

The story of the Buffalo Creek Flood from a broken Coal mine dam in West Virginia in February 1972. A 20 to 30 foot flood wave of water and coal sludge flooded down Buffalo Creek destroying 16 mining towns in 3 hours.

The Buffalo Creek Disaster (Written by Ray Schmitt and Rob Gibbs)

A Story Bank Sharing New Ideas, Opportunities & Challenges For Diversifying Appalachia's Economy & Renewing Her Communities, from WMMT-FM & Appalshop Community Media Initiative

New tracks tagged #Buffalo Creek Disaster