Kentucky Floods Claim 25 Lives, Including 4 Children
CATASTROPHIC
The death toll from one of the worst floods in Kentucky’s history has reached 25, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a Saturday update. That number is expected to keep rising and so far includes at least four children, he said. “To everyone in Eastern Kentucky, we are going to be there for you today and in the weeks, months and years ahead,” he wrote. “We will get through this together.” He said he fears the search for victims could take weeks, as authorities are already finding it nearly impossible to reach some people amid the flooding. “From everything we’ve seen, we may be updating the count of how many we lost for the next several weeks. In some of these areas, it’s hard to know exactly how many people were there,” Gov. Beshear said. Torrential rain on Wednesday night turned into catastrophic flash flooding across much of southeastern Kentucky on Thursday, causing houses to wash away, roads to collapse and entire neighborhoods to be submerged. The National Guard has rescued people from trees and rooftops, Beshear said Thursday. More rain was expected on Thursday night and into Friday however Beshear said forecasts have, thankfully, improved. “Central and Eastern Kentucky remain in a flood watch today,” he said Friday. “While rain totals are not expected to be as high, flooding still remains a concern due to saturated grounds. Please stay safe and alert, Kentucky.” Beshear said he spoke with President Joe Biden about getting individual FEMA assistance for those who lost their homes and other property, and the president responded “favorably.”