Kentucky

2022 - 7 - 29

Post cover
Image courtesy of "CNN"

Kentucky flooding: 15 people dead and death toll expected to rise as ... (CNN)

At least 15 people are dead following catastrophic flooding in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear told CNN Friday. That number is expected to double, he said, ...

In an effort to assist the state's recovery efforts, both West Virginia and Tennessee sent helicopters with hoisting abilities to Kentucky. Human-caused fossil fuel emissions have warmed the planet a little more than 1 degree Celsius, on average, with more intense warming over land areas. "Everyone was there trying to lend a hand and help. The counties include Wolfe, Owsley, Breathitt, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Pike and Perry. "I mean it just absolutely poured and we've got, you know, some small towns that are completely underwater." As floodwaters rose to dangerous levels, some Kentuckians quickly became trapped and were unable to safely escape. Some families' houses and cars were submerged or swept away completely by the flooding A portion of Kentucky Route 15 was also closed Thursday night. The current is so strong. Much of West Virginia is in the moderate risk for flash flooding on Friday, according to the Weather Prediction Center. The southwest region of Virginia is also at risk of flooding Friday with between one and two inches of rain possible, and potentially more in some local areas, according to the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Virginia. There is so much water. It is not safe for some of the water rescues that we need to do," Beshear said.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "USA TODAY"

Death toll rises to 15 after Eastern Kentucky flooding: 'We may have ... (USA TODAY)

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday the death toll from the devastating flooding had risen to 15. Latest updates.

The flooding has left over 23,000 Kentuckians without power and several counties without access to water, Beshear said. More rain and storms were expected this weekend after over 6 inches of rain fell Wednesday night into Thursday. Meteorologist Brandon Bonds with the National Weather Service in Jackson said it won't take much more rain to "cause even more damage." "We know some of the loss will include children," Beshear said. The governor declared a state of emergency. 'Not seen the worst of it': Death toll likely to rise in Eastern Kentucky flooding The death toll in Eastern Kentucky rose to 16 on Friday morning after torrential rains flooded the region, destroying hundreds of homes and wiping out entire communities.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

At least 15 people dead after flash flooding in Kentucky (The Guardian)

Governor says he expects to receive federal state of emergency declaration after flooding hits eastern part of state.

“We do know that some of our archival materials have flooded out of the building into Whitesburg streets.” “We will.” “There are hundreds of families that have lost everything,” Beshear said. Rescue crews used helicopters and boats to pick up people trapped by floodwaters. Her family scurried in the dark to move vehicles, campers, trailers and equipment. “But right now, we’re still moving vehicles even to higher ground.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "BBC News"

Kentucky: 16 dead in flash floods that followed heavy rain (BBC News)

The state governor said the death toll is expected to rise amid ongoing flood search and rescue efforts.

The flash flooding came after heavy rains earlier this week. Parts of cities are submerged under water, and some areas are impassable, he said. Rivers in the region are expected to crest throughout the weekend, and a risk of more dangerous flash flooding remained possible throughout Friday, the US National Weather Service said. "It's going to be a tough couple of days, it's going to be a long rebuild," Mr Beshear said. Hundreds of homes in Kentucky have been wiped out because of the floods, the governor said. At least 16 people have died due to historic flash flooding caused by torrential rains in eastern Kentucky, the US state's governor has said.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "NPR"

Record flooding in Kentucky and Appalachia kills more victims as ... (NPR)

Major floods have devastated Eastern Kentucky and parts of Virginia and West Virginia. The death toll continues to climb as search and rescue teams cover ...

You may click on “Your Choices” below to learn about and use cookie management tools to limit use of cookies when you visit NPR’s sites. If you click “Agree and Continue” below, you acknowledge that your cookie choices in those tools will be respected and that you otherwise agree to the use of cookies on NPR’s sites. NPR’s sites use cookies, similar tracking and storage technologies, and information about the device you use to access our sites (together, “cookies”) to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Here's How to Help Victims of the Flooding in Kentucky (The New York Times)

Search-and-rescue efforts continued across much of southeastern Kentucky on Friday after what Gov. Andy Beshear said was “one of the worst, most devastating ...

The organization is also accepting donations of cleaning supplies, nonperishable food and water at its office at 2260 Executive Drive in Lexington. The department is accepting donations from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays through Aug. 5. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is accepting donations of bottled water, toiletries and nonperishable food.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Louisville Eccentric Observer"

Friday Eastern Kentucky Flood Updates: 16 Dead, FEMA On The ... (Louisville Eccentric Observer)

Gov. Andy Beshear said there were 16 confirmed deaths as of Friday morning due to the severe Eastern Kentucky floods, and that he expects that number “to ...

Keep Louisville interesting and support LEO Weekly by subscribing to our newsletter here. The river’s previous high crest was 14.7 feet and occurred in 1957. The governor also said that President Joe Biden ordered federal aid for 13 Kentucky counties, and that FEMA is currently on the ground. Large portions of Eastern Kentucky are under NWS flood watch until at least 10 p.m. Friday night. • Missing persons name (first, last) “To all of the families who know you have already sustained a loss, we’re going to grieve with you, we’re going to support you and we’re going to be here for you, not just today, but tomorrow and the weeks and the years to come,” Beshear said during a 10:30 a.m. update.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Son Pulls His Mother to Safety in Kentucky Floods (The New York Times)

Jeannie Adams of Whitesburg, Ky., described a harrowing ordeal after floods engulfed her community. Her home and car were destroyed.

Her mother-in-law’s home was wrecked, too, and it was uninsured. And there was no way I could help her.” “It kept getting higher and higher until it was at the top of my porch. “Her feet were already wet and she was screaming for help. “But it was very little comfort.” And as a mother that was . …”

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Kentucky's governor said the death toll from the flooding included ... (The New York Times)

Andy Beshear said he expected the number of dead to rise further after heavy rain and severe flooding.

“I think this is where God meant for me to be,” Tiffany Craft, the 35-year-old mayor,said on Friday morning. And the number was expected to keep rising as rescue efforts continued in the eastern region of the state. Mr. Beshear said that nearly 300 people had been rescued across the state, about 100 of whom were taken to safety by aircraft.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "CNN"

Live updates: Deadly flooding in eastern Kentucky (CNN)

At least 15 people have died due to flooding in eastern Kentucky, with the death toll expected to rise, according to Gov. Andy Beshear. Follow here for live ...

The water got so strong it just washed them away. “They were holding on to them. Four of the children who were found dead in Knott County following the devastating flooding in eastern Kentucky were siblings, their aunt Brandi Smith told CNN on Friday.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "NBC News"

At least 6 children among the dead in historic Kentucky flooding ... (NBC News)

At least six children are among the dead in the devastating rainfall that deluged eastern Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said in an update Friday.

"We have bridge inspectors and engineers in the field, but we’re unable to even get to some of these roadways," he said. "We have already gone door to door and around to try to evacuate as many people who are willing to go," Beshear said. “It has wiped out what we believe are hundreds of homes," he said. "It's hard, it's even harder for those families and those communities," he said. "This situation is ongoing," he said. We don't want to lose any more people than we have to."

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Axios"

Catastrophic flooding spreads across the Appalachia (Axios)

Heavy rain "will exacerbate flooding and cause flash flooding" across parts of Ohio and Tennessee Valleys into Appalachians, NWS warns.

Both flash floods resulted from thunderstorms repetitively forming in and striking the same area, known to meteorologists as "training." Driving the news: The flooding has resulted from a stalled-out frontal boundary. What they're saying: "Tonight we need your continued prayers for the people of Eastern Kentucky," Beshear said at a briefing on Thursday evening. Gov. Andy Beshear said Kentucky has experienced "one of the worst, most-devastating flooding events" in its history after heavy rainfall and flash flooding hit the eastern portion of the state overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. What to watch: "Continued heavy rain and thunderstorms will exacerbate flooding and cause flash flooding in the next few days across parts of the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys into the central Appalachians," the National Weather Service forecast on Friday morning. - "Daily rounds of heavy downpours could cause flash flooding across portions of Arizona to the Four-corners region for the next few days," theNWS said.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Kentucky Floods Live Updates: Death Toll Rises to 16 (The New York Times)

Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky said the toll was “going to get a lot higher,” and that at least six children were among the dead.

“In ’57, 5 inches of rain is all it took to put water in the shop,” he said. Inside the Cut Away Barber and Beauty Shop, located in the heart of Whitesburg, just off a bridge that stretches over the North Fork Kentucky River, the water was “waist deep,” Mr. Brown said. The flooding and the tornadoes were the latest in a series of natural disasters in Kentucky and the region more broadly. “It kept getting higher and higher until it was at the top of my porch. The flood in Tennessee was a flash flood, the water vanishing nearly as rapidly as it arrived, while in Kentucky the floodwaters have lingered and continued to rise. Many communities are going to be inaccessible for some time because “the roads are out and bridges are out,” she said. “It’s going to grow,” Mr. Beshear said of the death toll, which on Friday afternoon stood at 16. “I had to ditch my pajamas and I lost my shoes, so when it came time for me to get on the helicopter and Amanda was helping me run there, I had on just my panties running through the flood mud and my pajamas with half the buttons missing. “The rage of the water took their children out of their hands,” Ms. Trejo said. She and her husband were just some of the people getting in kayaks to help people. After the worst had passed on Thursday morning, Jamie and Julie Hatton stepped out of their home in Whitesburg to find a city that, in many parts, was still submerged. “We’ve got to act quickly after the water recedes tomorrow,” Mr. Beshear said, “certainly before it rains again.”

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Link NKY"

How to help those affected by eastern Kentucky floods (Link NKY)

The scenes of the devastating floods in Eastern Kentucky rolled in on social media late Thursday and the death count rose to 15, with that number expected to increase as rescue efforts continue Friday.

I’m urging all people in low areas in Perry, Leslie, and Clay counties to seek higher ground.” “My heart goes out to every family in eastern Kentucky who has been affected by the severe storms and flash flooding,” Sen. Philip Wheeler (R-Pikeville) said. “I wish I could tell you why we keep getting hit here in Kentucky. I wish I could tell you why areas – where people may not have that much – continue to get hit and lose everything,” Beshear said. I will personally be in the heavily impacted areas today on the ground assessing the damage and helping folks however I can. You can also donate to your local Red Cross or United Way. The most immediate needs are for water and cleaning supplies. “I cannot give you the why, but I know what we do in response to it.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Kentucky: Flooding Leaves 25 Dead as Search for Victims Continues (The New York Times)

As the weather clears temporarily in flood-stricken areas of the state, rescuers are still searching for victims. Officials expect the death toll to rise.

Some of the food and supplies would be delivered to stranded residents by boat. The parents of those children, ages 2 to 8, were rescued hours later by a man in a kayak who had been looking for stranded neighbors. But by Friday night, the confirmed death toll had climbed to 25, and many others were still missing. But state officials expect the death toll to keep growing, possibly for weeks, as rescue efforts continue across rugged hills and valleys that remain hard to reach. (Linking climate change to a single flood event requires extensive scientific analysis, but the phenomenon is already causing heavier rainfall in many storms. Officials expect the death toll to rise.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "CNN"

Kentucky flooding: Death toll 'could potentially double' as people in ... (CNN)

After days of fatal flooding washed away parts of eastern Kentucky and claimed the lives of at least 16 people, first responders will continue working ...

"It's really heartening to see the way people help each other." "We're just thankful that the house was not destroyed with my grandchildren in it." "We're climbing up a ladder, scaling across a tin roof, mud everywhere," Palumbo said. "This is tough, but we will get through this," Nickles said. That's when I knew it was really bad because it's never been in our house before. She added her sister, Amber, and her partner tried to save their children but were unable. "In an event like this typically, if one or two people get devastated, everybody joins in to help. Deaths have been reported in Knott, Perry, Letcher and Clay counties. We will get through this together," Beshear said in a tweet Saturday. It was not immediately clear how the numbers factor into the state's overall death toll. to escape the deadly flooding. In this situation, everyone is devastated."

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

Catastrophic flash flooding kills 25 in Kentucky and at least a dozen ... (The Guardian)

Kentucky governor says he expects death toll to rise and warns officials still cannot reach certain areas.

According to the US Geological Survey, Kentucky saw eight to 10 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period. Joe Biden on Friday approved a disaster declaration to allow federal assistance to be channeled to the state. The bodies of the children – Maddison Noble, eight, Riley Jr, six, Nevaeh Noble, four, and Chance Noble, two – were found on Friday in Knott county. “It’s hard to explain how much water,” he added. “There could be more. “It’s going to get worse.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "NPR"

At least 25 people have died in Kentucky's floods, governor says (NPR)

Kentucky's governor said the numbers would likely rise significantly and it could take weeks to find all the victims. Torrential rains swamped towns across ...

You may click on “Your Choices” below to learn about and use cookie management tools to limit use of cookies when you visit NPR’s sites. If you click “Agree and Continue” below, you acknowledge that your cookie choices in those tools will be respected and that you otherwise agree to the use of cookies on NPR’s sites. NPR’s sites use cookies, similar tracking and storage technologies, and information about the device you use to access our sites (together, “cookies”) to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Courier Journal"

Weekend updates from Eastern Kentucky: Death toll rises past 20 ... (Courier Journal)

Relief and recovery efforts continue this weekend in Eastern Kentucky after flooding ripped through the region this week. Here's what's happening.

For those who want to donate to help flood victims, Beshear said water and cleaning supplies are needed. Partly sunny conditions and little rain is expected in the city on Saturday, according to the weather service, but Sunday's forecast includes a 70% chance of rain. Several shelters were set up throughout the region which remain open, and Beshear on Friday said several hundred rescues had taken place. He said the federal agency will be in the area going door-to-door and his administration also is working to set up a one-stop office where people can go to report losses and obtain replacements for documents such as drivers’ licenses. "Our death toll has risen to 25 lost, and that number is likely to increase," Beshear, who's set to speak publicly at noon, said in a Twitter post. Three state parks – Jenny Wiley State Park, Buckhorn State Park, and Pine Mountain State Park – have been opened for those temporarily or permanently displaced from their homes, Beshear said. Four children were confirmed by Beshear as being among the victims. Locating people thought to be missing is complicated by the loss of cell service throughout the area. As of Friday, 16 people were confirmed to have been killed, though Beshear has repeatedly noted that number is expected to ris. The death toll currently sits at 25, according to a Saturday morning update from Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and that figure is expected to rise as water recedes and more information becomes available. He said work is underway to restore cell service as fast as possible. Beshear is set to speak Saturday at noon.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Politico"

Kentucky governor: Death toll from flooding rises to 25 (Politico)

Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday that the numbers of victims would likely rise significantly as a result of record flash flooding over the past several days.

Portions of at least 28 state roads in Kentucky were blocked due to flooding or mudslides. Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency for six counties in West Virginia where the flooding downed trees, power outages and blocked roads. In both instances, the rain flooding far exceeded what forecasters predicted. Extreme rain events have become more common as climate change bakes the planet and alters weather patterns, according to scientists. The deluge came two days after record rains around St. Louis dropped more than 12 inches and killed at least two people. ... A warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor and that means you can produce increased heavy rainfall.” Colombo stayed the night at her fiance’s home in Jackson and they took turns sleeping, repeatedly checking the water with flashlights to see if it was rising. The torrent engulfed homes and businesses and trashed vehicles. Officials said Friday at least six children were among the victims, including four children from the same family in Knott County. Though her phone was dead, she saw a helicopter overhead and waved it down. “But for now, we’re just praying that we don’t lose anybody else.” Thankfully, the rain has stopped.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Washington Post"

At least 25 dead in Kentucky in devastating flood, governor says (The Washington Post)

Search-and-rescue teams continued scouring communities in the Appalachian foothills for survivors. The final death toll is expected to increase.

But others expressed frustration that such flooding had become more common, and the state and cities and towns were not doing enough to mitigate it. He warned residents to prepare for more rain Sunday afternoon, though the storms were not expected to be as severe. He said the money would go to victims, starting with paying for funerals. Statewide, 530 people were in shelters, including more than 140 in state park campgrounds that were opening cottages and campers to people forced from their homes, Beshear said. “It’s not the same.” Mud was everywhere, caking the floors and cabinets inside homes and standing 2 to 3 inches high on the sidewalk. It also is causing tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars in damage, the governor said this week, adding that it could take years to rebuild. Many residents escaped in boats or clinging to roofs or tree branches, while others were plucked from the disaster by air or ground. Nearly half the residents are living in poverty, census figures show. Among the dead were four young siblings ages 1 to 8 in Knott County, population 14,000. Catastrophic rainfall in the region started Tuesday, after record-breaking flooding in St. Louis killed one person. I hope there are no more, we ought to expect there will be more loss.”

Rains are expected to hit Kentucky again after deadly flooding (NPR)

At least 25 people have died after flash flooding in eastern Kentucky. Relief workers are racing to help the survivors.

You may click on “Your Choices” below to learn about and use cookie management tools to limit use of cookies when you visit NPR’s sites. If you click “Agree and Continue” below, you acknowledge that your cookie choices in those tools will be respected and that you otherwise agree to the use of cookies on NPR’s sites. NPR’s sites use cookies, similar tracking and storage technologies, and information about the device you use to access our sites (together, “cookies”) to enhance your viewing, listening and user experience, personalize content, personalize messages from NPR’s sponsors, provide social media features, and analyze NPR’s traffic.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Guardian"

'We had to swim out': Kentucky grapples with floods as search for ... (The Guardian)

As the hunt for survivors goes on in Kentucky after a torrential storm dumped 10 inches of rain in a matter of hours, tales of rescue and tragedy are ...

The parents of the children were rescued from a tree eight hours later by a neighbor in a kayak. Adams escaped by swimming – with her pet dog – to the roof of a nearby building. They had been holding on to a tree for hours before waves dislodged them and the children were swept away. She waved to a helicopter that radioed a team on the ground to rescue her. “Keep praying, there’s still a lot of people out there, still a lot of people unaccounted for. “There are hundreds of families that have lost everything,” Beshear said.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "USA TODAY"

Kentucky flood death toll now over 2 dozen people; rescues surpass ... (USA TODAY)

Weather reports call for no rain Saturday, allowing a crucial window for emergency personnel to attempt new searches.

Some people remain unaccounted for in a region of Kentucky where cell service and electricity have been unreliable following the floods. Their trailer was found abandoned, but another survivor relayed that she'd heard the mother and children had been picked up by a rescue vehicle, its destination unknown. “There’s now widespread recognition that this isn’t a one-off thing, that we are on a trajectory of ever-increasing risk,” Carolyn Kousky, a disaster finance expert and executive director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Risk Center, told USA TODAY earlier this year. They link those trends to an increase in extreme rainfall events, with 2021 seeing the third highest number of billion-dollar disasters on record. “We’re going to be seeing this and a lot worse in the coming years. She invited a reporter to survey the damage inside her home. The flood had left caked mud on her floors and walls. The National Weather Service in Jackson issued new flood watch alerts Saturday for many of the areas already under water. But he warned of what rescuers may find in the aftermath, saying numerous times during the press conference they except the death toll to increase. The mattress on which her son Drake sleeps was soaked with water. The deluge that caused flooding in eastern Kentucky came just two days after record rains around St. Louis killed at least two. Saturday will likely be decisive, as the state continues recovery efforts in its hard-struck eastern Appalachian region.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Flooded Kentucky Grows Weary After Another Natural Disaster (The New York Times)

HAZARD, Ky. — Firefighters and National Guard crews have swarmed into eastern Kentucky after days of deadly flooding, rescuing by the hundreds people who ...

“So much of the wealth has been extracted,” he said. “We have people who are living on the edge,” he said. “It’s just hard to ask for help when we’re all in the same boat.” We are the first ones to ask, ‘How can we help?’” “But we are the first ones to step up. In Breathitt County, at least four deaths had been confirmed, roughly a dozen people were missing and much of the county remained underwater. “The pure catastrophic loss is hard to put into words,” he said. Some of them arrived soaking wet and caked in mud, said Tracy Counts, a Red Cross worker at the church. Officials said on Saturday that at least 25 people had been killed in the floods, but it could take weeks for the full magnitude of the human toll and physical devastation to become clear. “I can’t give you the why, but I know what we do in response to it. “To even get back to where they were is a long road.” “‘Now it’s time for me to return the favor.’”

Additional Disaster Funding Approved for Kentucky Flooding (FEMA)

FEMA announced that additional disaster assistance is available to the Commonwealth of Kentucky after President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. authorized Individual ...

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate seven days a week until further notice. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Explore the last week