KY. FLOOD DEATHS TOP 16, EXPECTED TO RISE
Trapped homeowners swam to safety and others were rescued by boat as record flash flooding killed at least 16 people in Kentucky and swamped entire Appalachian towns, prompting a frenzied search for survivors Friday through some of the poorest communities in America.
Authorities warned that the death toll would likely grow sharply as search efforts continued. The rain let up early Friday morning after some areas of eastern Kentucky received between 8 and 10 1⁄2inchesover48hours,but some waterways were not expected to crest until today and more storms were forecast to roll through the region early next week.
It’s the latest in a string of catastrophic deluges that have hammered parts of the U.S. this summer, including St. Louis earlier this week and again on Friday. Scientists warn that climate change is making weather disasters more common.
Water poured down hillsides and into Appalachian valleys and hollows, where it swelled creeks and streams coursing through small towns. The torrent engulfed homes and businesses and trashed vehicles. Mudslides marooned some people on steep slopes.
Rescue teams backed by the National Guard used helicopters and boats to search for the missing. But some areas remained inaccessible and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at least six children were among the victims and that the death toll could more than double as rescue teams reach more areas. It could take weeks to account for all victims, he said.
At least 33,000 utility customers were without power. The flooding extended into western Virginia and southern West Virginia, across a region where poverty is endemic.
“There are hundreds of families that have lost everything,” Beshear said. “And many of these families didn’t have much to begin with. And so it hurts even more. But we’re going to be there for them.”
President Joe Biden declared a federal disaster to direct relief money to more than a dozen Kentucky counties, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency appointed an officer to coordinate the recovery.