Coffeyville residents angry over flooding

COFFEYVILLE (AP) -- Blaming God probably wouldn't do much to help flood victims in this southeast Kansas community, experts say, so many residents instead are turning their anger toward city officials.

That anger is to be expected as people return to their homes, see the damage and start looking for answers, said Robert Butterworth, a Los Angeles psychologist who specializes in treating traumatic stress.

"For the first few days, everyone may have lost their possessions, but they say, `Well, at least we've got each other,'" he said. "That doesn't last."

Hundreds of Coffeyville homes have been evacuated because of the flood that hit last week and was made worse by more than 71,000 gallons of crude oil that leaked into the water from a local refinery.

On Friday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that two floodwater samples from Coffeyville showed the level of fecal coliform bacteria was more than 130 times the standard. The bacteria can cause stomachache, fever, vomiting and diarrhea, the agency said, and a cut or a wound at the point of contact with the bacteria can lead to fever, redness and swelling.

Butterworth said that in the short term, anger over the flood and oily aftermath can lead to volatile confrontations between residents and public officials. Long-term effects could include divorce, domestic violence and suicide, he said.

"Natural disasters are the worst," he said. "What are you going to do? Shake your fist at God? People start getting angry and don't know where to turn, except on each other."

The Red Cross has brought in mental health professionals to help people deal with stress, said Aaron Phillips, director of the Coffeyville chapter.