According to the governor, severe flooding in eastern Kentucky caused by heavy overnight rains has killed at least eight people and would go down in history of the commonwealth as “one of the most major, devastating floods.”
According to Beshear, the problem was being handled by members of the National Guard, the Fish & Wildlife Department, state police, and local disaster management organizations.
Radar estimates from the National Weather Service and local observers show that parts of Kentucky in the vicinity of Hazard experienced more than 9 inches of rain from Wednesday night into Thursday morning.
According to the meteorological service, the rain in eastern Kentucky was too much for creeks, streams, and the already soggy soils. Flood warnings have been extended, in some cases through Monday night, for parts of eastern Kentucky.
Up to an inch more of more rainfall is predicted until Friday night.
The governor stated at an afternoon news conference that the rains had caused incalculable damage to homes in the state’s portion of central Appalachia and have compelled some inhabitants to wait for rescue on the roofs of their flooded homes.
Belinda Asher, a resident of Eastern Kentucky, reported that at 1:15 a.m. she received a flash flood alert on her phone.
The governor declared an emergency earlier on Thursday to quickly mobilize resources for assistance and activated the National Guard to assist with rescues and recovery efforts.