Governor Andy Beshear said on Saturday that 25 people had died in Kentucky as a result of the Appalachia flood
During a news conference on Saturday, he stated, “As of 11:00 a.m. this morning, we can confirm 25 fatalities throughout five counties.”
Knott County saw 14 of the deaths, which is the majority. Four additional counties—Breathitt, Clay, Letcher, and Perry—also recorded fatalities: four in Breathitt, two in Clay, two in Letcher, and three in Perry.
By air, land, and ocean, several groups joined the rescue efforts. 664 individuals have been airlifted to safety by the National Guard from Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. The Guardsmen also provided boat rescue for 19 persons.
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624 water rescues were performed by Kentucky State Police and the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife.
The governor stated that the situation is difficult and that there would probably be more fatalities.
“Search and rescue mode is on. That number will keep rising, once again. This many people don’t perish in floods. This is a really difficult one,” he told the media.
After falling between 8 and 10 1/2 inches (20-27 cm) in certain areas of eastern Kentucky during the previous 48 hours, the rain stopped early on Friday. However, Saturday was predicted to be the crest for certain rivers.
This week’s torrential downpours in Appalachia caused water to cascade down hillsides and into valleys and hollows, enlarging the rivers and streams that flowed into tiny villages. The torrent destroyed cars and inundated residences and businesses. Some individuals were trapped on steep hillsides by mudslides.
Kentucky state highways were partially obstructed by mudslides or water. Rescue teams sought to reach folks in West Virginia and Virginia where the roads were impassable.
On Saturday, residents of the small town of Garrett labored to remove trash and shovel mud from driveways and roads as they heaped wet sofas, tables, and pillows in yards along the slopes of the hilly area.
According to Floyd County Judge-Executive Robbie Williams, the floodwaters roaring over Appalachia were moving so quickly that some residents stuck in their houses couldn’t be rescued right enough.
Authorities in Perry County, which was severely affected, just to the west, said that some persons were still missing and that practically everyone in the region had some damage.
“We’ve still got a lot of searching to do,” said Jerry Stacy, the county’s emergency management director.
Southern West Virginia and western Virginia were both affected by the floods.
A state of emergency was issued in some areas of West Virginia, Virginia, and Kentucky.
A federal disaster designation for Kentucky was authorized by President Joe Biden on Friday, allocating aid to 13 Kentucky counties.
the source used in the preparation of the news: https://www.theepochtimes.com
