Flood fatalities in eastern Kentucky and the public health legacy of mountaintop removal coal mining
ABSTRACTHeavy rains at night caused severe flooding in eastern Kentucky on 28 July 2022, resulting in 39 deaths. Using publicly available information, we assembled a database of these fatalities, including demographic characteristics and location of death. We perturbed fatality locations and plotted...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Maps |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17445647.2023.2214159 |
| _version_ | 1797745976872534016 |
|---|---|
| author | W. Jay Christian Beverly May Jeffrey E. Levy |
| author_facet | W. Jay Christian Beverly May Jeffrey E. Levy |
| author_sort | W. Jay Christian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACTHeavy rains at night caused severe flooding in eastern Kentucky on 28 July 2022, resulting in 39 deaths. Using publicly available information, we assembled a database of these fatalities, including demographic characteristics and location of death. We perturbed fatality locations and plotted them on a topographical map highlighting mountaintop removal mining with valley fill sites, where mountaintops were excavated to mine thin seams of coal. This map reveals many flood fatalities occurred along rivers or streams near such sites. Previous research suggests that surface mining has contributed to the majority of land cover change in this region, and this has increased storm water runoff. The legacy of coal mining in Central Appalachia could thus present immediate challenges to public health and safety beyond more frequently studied health outcomes associated with occupational and environmental exposures. A review of prior surface mining legislation to assess its effectiveness is warranted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:30:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6d430ec60b2a4820ad6def5a1425e887 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1744-5647 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:30:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Maps |
| spelling | doaj.art-6d430ec60b2a4820ad6def5a1425e8872023-08-10T04:53:39ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Maps1744-56472023-12-0119110.1080/17445647.2023.2214159Flood fatalities in eastern Kentucky and the public health legacy of mountaintop removal coal miningW. Jay Christian0Beverly May1Jeffrey E. Levy2Department of Epidemiology & Environmental Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USADepartment of Epidemiology & Environmental Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USADepartment of Geography, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USAABSTRACTHeavy rains at night caused severe flooding in eastern Kentucky on 28 July 2022, resulting in 39 deaths. Using publicly available information, we assembled a database of these fatalities, including demographic characteristics and location of death. We perturbed fatality locations and plotted them on a topographical map highlighting mountaintop removal mining with valley fill sites, where mountaintops were excavated to mine thin seams of coal. This map reveals many flood fatalities occurred along rivers or streams near such sites. Previous research suggests that surface mining has contributed to the majority of land cover change in this region, and this has increased storm water runoff. The legacy of coal mining in Central Appalachia could thus present immediate challenges to public health and safety beyond more frequently studied health outcomes associated with occupational and environmental exposures. A review of prior surface mining legislation to assess its effectiveness is warranted.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17445647.2023.2214159FloodKentuckyAppalachiacoalmininghealth |
| spellingShingle | W. Jay Christian Beverly May Jeffrey E. Levy Flood fatalities in eastern Kentucky and the public health legacy of mountaintop removal coal mining Journal of Maps Flood Kentucky Appalachia coal mining health |
| title | Flood fatalities in eastern Kentucky and the public health legacy of mountaintop removal coal mining |
| title_full | Flood fatalities in eastern Kentucky and the public health legacy of mountaintop removal coal mining |
| title_fullStr | Flood fatalities in eastern Kentucky and the public health legacy of mountaintop removal coal mining |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flood fatalities in eastern Kentucky and the public health legacy of mountaintop removal coal mining |
| title_short | Flood fatalities in eastern Kentucky and the public health legacy of mountaintop removal coal mining |
| title_sort | flood fatalities in eastern kentucky and the public health legacy of mountaintop removal coal mining |
| topic | Flood Kentucky Appalachia coal mining health |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17445647.2023.2214159 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wjaychristian floodfatalitiesineasternkentuckyandthepublichealthlegacyofmountaintopremovalcoalmining AT beverlymay floodfatalitiesineasternkentuckyandthepublichealthlegacyofmountaintopremovalcoalmining AT jeffreyelevy floodfatalitiesineasternkentuckyandthepublichealthlegacyofmountaintopremovalcoalmining |