is their drainage system because as quickly as the waters rose here, they were able to start receding. we have seen this again play out in other major cities. now people wondering if more rain comes, is the city prepared to handle that much water that fast? here s an interview i did with a manager of a local business here about the impacts of the flash flood. i grew up pretty much in this town. probably the first time i ve actually seen it flood like it did yesterday. reporter: what does that tell you? i think some people might have been unprepared for it. not just normal civilians, but the counties and city themselves. i get it. things happen. to me, i think the drainage system wasn t prepared for what was going to happen. reporter: jose, more rain is expected. this community is coming together. a number of churches are
elementary school yet senator joe manchin is blocking the most aggressive climate change legislation in u.s. history. this neighborhood lost safe access to their homes after the 2016 flood weakened the foundation of this bridge and rusted it out. if someone dialed 911 could not come across this bridge they would be afraid that they wouldn t make it, that the bridge might collapse. reporter: this bridge is connie richards lifeline to every day life including medical care. you just keep moving along and pray you get to the other side. reporter: but even in the face of severe weather and its costly destruction, neither raider nor richard blame climate change. i m not buying into the whole climate change thing. reporter: so if somebody said in order to make sure a flood like this never hits your community again, you need to get rid of coal, what would you say? let it flood again. reporter: in the second largest coal producing state in the nation, climate change is a co
electric bills for people in west virginia. now, the woman in the piece who said let it flood, well, that is an example of the commitment to coal in the face of climate change. she says because historically coal has been a reliable job source, but the reality is the industry itself has been shedding jobs due to automation. it s a dying industry. now, we reached out to senator manchin s office but received no comment. rene marsh, cnn, washington. rene, thank you. let s talk more about this with jeff goodell, a contributing editor for rolling stone, also the author of the water will come. jeff, great to have you. in your lengthy piece this week titled manchin s coal corruption is so much worse than you knew you write, quote, the truth is manchin is bester stood as a grifter from the ancestral home of king coal. a man with coal dust in his veins who has used his political skills to enrich himself not the people of his state. given what you re writing there and what you say senator m
reporter: in order to say to have it never flood again, we need to get rid of coal, what would you say? let it flood. reporter: joe manchin, one of the key lawmakers, blocking the important part of climate change is currently ranked the top congrecon gregs congressional recipient of cole investments. his brokerage company is ranked between 1 and $5 million. would you be happy to know that your state has flooding because we failed to pass
access to their homes after the 2016 flood weakened the foundation of this bridge and rusted it out. if someone dialed 911 could not come across this bridge yeah, they d be afraid they wouldn t make it, that the bridge might collapse. reporter: this bridge is connie richards lifeline to everyday life, including medical care. you just keep moving along and pray you get to the other side. reporter: but even in the face of severe weather and its costly destruction, neither rader nor richard blame climate change. i m not buying into the whole climate change thing. reporter: so if somebody said in order to make sure a flood like this never hits your community again, we need to get rid of coal, what would you say? let it flood again. reporter: in the second largest coal-producing state in the nation, climate change is a complicated issue. senator joe manchin, one of the key lawmakers blocking the most aggressive parts of climate legislation that would drastically curb gree