From Ruin to Recovery: Virginia's Flood Disaster

In this episode of "The Cardinal: News of Virginia", host Dutchie Jessee sits down with Southwest Virginia reporter Susan Cameron to revisit one of the most devastating events to hit the region in decades: the catastrophic flooding brought by Hurricane Helene in fall 2024 and the relentless storms that followed in February 2025. Entire neighborhoods were wiped off the map, families displaced, and lives forever changed.But amid the destruction came powerful stories of resilience and hope. Susan shares on-the-ground reporting and emotional interviews with families who lived through the disaster — including the McMurrys, whose home was torn from its foundation with them still inside. One family member clung to a tree for hours; another survived while trapped in a rocking chair carried by the floodwaters.This episode is a powerful reminder of the strength of Southwest Virginia’s communities, the scars left behind by natural disasters, and what recovery looks like months later.