Wednesday marks 20 years since one of the most catastrophic flood disasters in Lexington‘s history, a destructive storm that took four lives and drove significant changes to the city’s flood-control infrastructure.
On Sept. 23, 2006, torrential rainfall overwhelmed creeks, storm drains and roadways across Lexington, transforming streets into rushing waterways and trapping motorists and residents in perilous conditions.
Among those killed were University of Kentucky graduate students Lauren Fannin and Lindsey Harp, who were swept into a storm drain near Nicholasville Road as floodwaters surged through the area. The tragedy shook the community and exposed the dangers posed by flash flooding in rapidly developing urban areas.
In the aftermath of the disaster, local leaders invested millions of dollars in flood-mitigation projects aimed at reducing the risk of similar flooding events. Improvements included upgrades to stormwater systems, drainage infrastructure and flood-control measures in some of the city’s most vulnerable areas.
Fannin and Harp were graduates of Georgetown College, which continues to honor their legacy through a memorial scholarship established in their names. The scholarship supports students while preserving the memory of two young women whose lives were cut short in one of Lexington’s darkest days.
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