 Appalachian Wireless has some of the best data rates in wireless on our plans, and not to mention an amazing deal on one of our hottest smartphones, but that's all the time I have to explain. See store for details. Better service. Bigger savings. That's today's Appalachian Wireless. Forty years ago this week, tragedy struck eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. On April 2nd, 1977, torrential rains drenched the region, causing rivers to crest their banks and floodwaters to devastate cities and communities in the area. Downtown had flooded, the hospital had flooded, landmark, a whole lot of areas around town were flooded as well as upriver toward Miller in that area and downstream. It was a rather high impact flood, if you would. According to the National Weather Service, the floods killed 10 people in east Kentucky and 22 people in the fourth state area affected. The estimated damages were $175 million at that time. The 77 flood is the greatest flood on record upstream from Pikeville. According to memories of Tug Valley, the water reached 53 inches in the city of Williamson. It was quite a sight to see when you did get in town once you could get to town. The impact of water had left the mud, debris and everything left behind, the mobile homes that had been destroyed, houses that were underwater and seeing parts of downtown flooded as well as by the side. Tackett says many precautionary measures were taken after the 77 flood. The cut-through is one thing that helps with flooding in Pikeville now, it diverts the river away from town and plus they have flood walls on both ends of town too so when the river reaches a certain stage those flood walls go up. It will protect the town and it has less in flooding here but there's still the possibility of flooding. It would have a less impact with the same flood stage. The flood walls would protect the city as well as the cut-through but the areas of both north and south of town along the river are going to be impacted. The rains resulted in record damages on the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River with major damage occurring on the Loviza and Russell Forks of the Big Sandy. Fifteen Kentucky counties were declared disaster areas. Reporting in Pikeville for EKB News, I'm Shelby Steele.