At least eight people have died after torrential rains caused massive flooding in the eastern US state of Kentucky on Thursday, the governor of the US state of Kentucky said, expressing concern that the final death toll would be much higher.
These are “the worst floods in recent history, devastating and deadly,” said Andy Beshear, as the number of missing remains unknown and heavy rains are expected to continue on Friday.
“So far, I believe I can confirm at least eight dead, but that number seems to be increasing by the hour,” he said. The governor added that he expects the number of victims to be in “double digits”.
In the Jackson area, some roads turned into rivers, with vehicles left to chance. In small forest-lined valleys, brown water had flooded everything and only a few building roofs and tree tops could be seen.
In these conditions, several residents were forced to take refuge on the roofs of their houses, waiting to be rescued. “Between 20 and 30” were rescued by air, Mr Beshear told a local television station last night.
Due to global warming caused by human activities, the atmosphere contains greater amounts of evaporated water, increasing the risk of very heavy rains, according to scientists. These rains, in combination with other factors, such as spatial planning, favor floods.
In some areas of Kentucky, rainfall reached 8 inches in 24 hours and more heavy rain is expected through tonight. The flood warning issued by the authorities remains in effect.
The Democratic governor declared a state of emergency in six states, and four National Guard helicopters, as well as boats, were deployed to the flood-stricken areas to help with rescue operations.
Repairing the damage could take years, Mr. Beshear warned.
Evacuation by boat
Near Jackson, rescue crews using a small boat pulled residents out of an area where the Kentucky River overflowed, flooding several homes.
Not far away, a couple was trying to salvage what they could from their flooded home, loading furniture into an open semi-truck.
The number of missing is not yet known as “we have not yet been able to reach some locations” due to the situation, the governor said earlier. “We are doing our best to help every resident,” he assured, but “the situation is difficult.”
“Hundreds of people will lose their homes and (…) it will take not months, but possibly years to rebuild them and be able to live in them again.”
Some 25,000 people were left without electricity and some without water supply in the state yesterday, he informed.
President Joe Biden is being briefed on the crisis, his spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre said. The head of the US Federal Disaster Management Agency (FEMA), Diane Criswell, will travel to Kentucky today.
Source: AMPE
Source: Capital
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