Three people have died, and dozens more deaths are expected amid severe weather conditions in Kentucky, according to Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY).
The victims include two people from Perry County, including an 81-year-old woman and a resident of Knott County, the governor, who declared a state of emergency, confirmed Thursday. No identities have been released.
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“The toughest update this morning is we have our first set of confirmed deaths,” Beshear said, according to CNN. “I do believe it will end up being one of the most significant, deadly floods that we have had in Kentucky in at least a very long time. Unfortunately, I expect double-digit deaths in this flooding.”
The shift in the weather Wednesday night prompted the activation of the National Guard to help with rescue and recovery efforts after residents were reportedly stranded on the roofs of their homes. Fish and wildlife workers were also out on boats to aid in the rescue efforts, according to Beshear.
“This was a tough night and maybe an even tougher morning for so many of our residents,” Beshear said in a press release. “The situation is dynamic and ongoing. In most places, we are not seeing receding water — in fact, in most places, it has not crested yet. What we are going to see coming out of this is massive property damage, and we expect loss of life. Hundreds will lose their homes.”
The floods could take the state, which suffered a large tornado last December that resulted in 74 deaths, and its residents years to recover from, the governor added.
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Thousands of Kentucky households were also without power Thursday morning, according to PowerOutage.us. The state is working with multiple cell service providers to restore service, Beshear added.
More flooding is expected Thursday afternoon, including in parts of southern West Virginia and southern Virginia, according to the National Weather Service.
