Campus Alert Archive
UPIKE

The Levisa Fork Crests Near 47 Feet and UPIKE Suspends Classes for the Town It Anchors

KYfloodingadvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

A weekend of heavy rain on February 15-16, 2025 drove the Levisa Fork to about 46.7 feet at Pikeville, among the worst floods on record, prompting over 50 swift-water rescues in the small Eastern Kentucky city. The University of Pikeville suspended undergraduate classes and moved graduate programs virtual as the region absorbed at least 14 statewide deaths from the storm.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
University of Pikeville
Private Masters · KY
~2,700 studentsUPIKE Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTWEA/IPAWS
Approximate reconstructionReconstruction of NWS flood warning for Pike County / Levisa Fork gauge161 chars
Flood Warning in effect for Pike County. The Levisa Fork is rising rapidly. Move to higher ground now and avoid all flooded roadways. Do not drive through water.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

This reflects the standard NWS flood-warning language as the Levisa Fork rose toward a near-record crest; the exact campus-relayed text is reconstructed and marked unconfirmed.
The Levisa Fork crested near 46.7 feet at Pikeville, one of the top floods on record for the city the university anchors.
UPDATEEmail+8d
Approximate reconstructionUniversity of Pikeville Emergency Updates page203 chars
The University of Pikeville has suspended all undergraduate classes. All graduate programs will be held virtually. Please monitor the Emergency Updates page for further information and support resources.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

UPIKE's suspension on February 23 came after a week of compounding flood impacts on the town, not just the campus — a recovery-driven closure rather than an acute-hazard one.
Reconstructed from the UPIKE Emergency Updates page reporting; marked unconfirmed pending an archived verbatim notice.
Context

Background

The University of Pikeville is the academic anchor of Pikeville, a small city in the Appalachian coalfields where the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy runs through downtown behind a federally engineered cut-through. During the February 15-16, 2025 flooding, the river crested near 46.7 feet — among the worst on record — and the Pikeville Fire Department ran more than 50 swift-water rescues. Across Kentucky at least 14 people died and Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency. UPIKE suspended undergraduate classes and shifted graduate programs online, then organized disaster-relief support for the surrounding community. The event came almost exactly three years after the catastrophic 2022 Eastern Kentucky floods, underscoring the region's repeat exposure.
Analysis

Key Findings

The Levisa Fork crested near 46.7 feet at Pikeville, among the city's worst floods on record, driving UPIKE to suspend classes
The closure was recovery-driven, announced February 23 after a week of regional flood impacts rather than at the acute peak
Eastern Kentucky's repeat flood exposure — three years after the deadly 2022 floods — frames the university's response
Outcome
UPIKE suspended undergraduate classes (graduate programs held virtually) on February 23, 2025 and stood up flood-relief efforts; at least 14 people died across Kentucky. No campus deaths were reported.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Emergency Updates | Flood Response - University of Pikeville
    upike.edu
  2. Official
    February 2025 Kentucky Flooding Summary - NWS Louisville
    weather.gov
  3. News
    Devastating flooding hits small Kentucky town of Pikeville as mayor reports over 50 swift water rescues - CBS News
    cbsnews.com
  4. Official
    Levisa Fork at Pikeville gauge - NOAA
    water.noaa.gov
Tags
floodingkentuckypikevilleappalachiacampus-closurelevisa-fork2025
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion