Flooding in the US state of Kentucky has killed at least eight, according to Governor Andy Beshear, who says the toll is expected to reach double digits as the water rises.
Key points:
- Among the dead is an 81-year-old woman
- More than 20,000 homes were left without power and “some people” are missing
- Evacuation centers have been opened, but some of the facilities have been affected by the storms
A series of storms drenching the eastern part of the state have dropped water that has yet to recede, leaving damage that could take years to repair, Beshear said, as he declared a six-state emergency on Thursday counties (US time).
“We are currently experiencing one of the worst and most devastating flood events in Kentucky history,” Beshear said in his emergency statement.
“Hundreds will lose their homes.”
The governor said eight people had died, including an 81-year-old woman from Perry County, but that number would rise as more rain was on the way.
“There are a lot of people out there who are still in danger who need your prayers,” he said.
Members of the Lexington, Winchester and Clark Country fire departments are coordinating efforts to get evacuees across flooded Troublesome Creek. (AP Photo: Timothy D. Easley)
The flood left 23,000 homes without power and left “some people” missing, Beshear said.
Roads looked like rivers, with water as high as leaves on nearby trees and power poles sticking out of the greenish-brown water, in videos released by local media and storm chasers.
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The state activated the national guard and state police to use helicopters and boats to rescue people stranded in the floodwaters.
Evacuation centers opened at state parks and other facilities, but Mr. Beshear warned that some of the facilities were hit hard by the storms and may not have power or some amenities.
Homes and structures are flooded near Quicksand, Kentucky. (AP Photo: Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader)
Fresh water is also hard to come by in parts of the flooded region, so trucks will bring drinking water, he said.
The U.S. National Weather Service said there was a 40 percent chance the hard-hit area around the Appalachian town of Hazard would continue to experience heavy rain and thunderstorms overnight, with chances rising to to 80 percent on Friday.
The region remains under a flood warning.
Bonnie Combs notes that her property is bordered by the North Fork of the Kentucky River in Jackson, Kentucky. (AP Photo: Timothy D. Easley)
Reuters