Eight killed in flash floods in Kentucky

At least eight people got killed in the floods in eastern Kentucky. Governor Andy Beshear said on Thursday that the death toll is expected to reach double digits as water continues to rise.


Reuters reported that Governor has declared a state
of emergency in six counties on Thursday morning. "We are currently experiencing one of the worst, most devastating flooding events in Kentucky's history,” Reuters reported quoting Beshear. He added that it may take yers to repair the  damages. The publication quoting the Governor reported that the flooding left 24,000 households without power in eastern Kentucky, according to the Poweroutage.us website.

Roads looked like rivers, with water as high as the leaves of nearby trees and power poles sticking up from greenish brown water, in videos posted by local media.The state activated the national guard and the state police to use helicopters and boats to rescue people marooned among the
floodwaters, Beshear said. Evacuation centers were opened in state parks and other facilities, but Beshear warned that some of the facilities themselves were hard-hit by the storms, and may not have power
or some amenities, Reuters reported.

The Governor said that it would be difficult to find fresh water in the flood affected areas and drinking water would be supplied in trucks. There was a 30% chance that the hard-hit area around the city of Hazard in the Cumberland Mountain foothills inAppalachia would continue to see heavy rain and storms Thursday night, and an 80% chance on Friday, the National Weather Service said.