- विज्ञापन -
Kentucky: Kentucky has experienced devastating storms resulting in at least eight fatalities, as announced by Governor Andy Beshear on Sunday. The storms caused significant flooding, affecting roads and homes, and one death was reported in Georgia as well. Beshear described the storm as “one of the most serious weather events we’ve dealt with in at least a decade,” with emergency responders engaged in search and rescue operations, conducting over 1,000 rescues in just 24 hours.
Video footage from various states depicted submerged vehicles, downed trees, and flooded homes in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. Officials noted that water levels reached historic highs in Kentucky as the storm intensified on Saturday. Beshear highlighted the storm’s “massive” impact, mentioning “hundreds of water rescues” and multiple fatalities, including at least one child. He urged Kentuckians to stay alert, as over 300 roads were closed, and advised against travel due to dangerous conditions, which included mudslides and snow.
Beshear declared a state of emergency prior to the storm and expressed gratitude to President Trump for approving a federal disaster declaration, enabling federal aid for affected areas. Kentucky’s Emergency Management Director, Eric Gibson, indicated that severe weather conditions would persist for several more days, with ongoing flooding expected. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has deployed personnel to assist, along with 146 members of the Kentucky National Guard.
Evacuations have been ordered due to heavy rain and flooding, with hundreds of thousands of customers across multiple states experiencing power outages. Flash flood emergencies and warnings were issued for parts of West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas. As of 2:20 PM ET, PowerOutage.us reported significant outages, with over 108,000 customers in Georgia and more than 75,000 in Alabama without power. Kentucky’s water systems were also severely affected, with nearly 10,000 service connections without water and 21,000 under boil water advisories.
Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin has requested a Major Disaster Declaration from Trump, citing significant community damage. In Virginia, a flash flood emergency was declared in Tazewell, Mercer, and Summers counties, where swift water rescues have been ongoing. A nursing home in Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee, evacuated 52 residents due to rising waters.
Among the fatalities, a 73-year-old man in Kentucky was swept away by floodwaters while driving, and two others died when their vehicle was caught in flash flooding in Hart County. In Atlanta, one person died when a large tree fell on their home during a severe thunderstorm. Although the storm is expected to weaken by Monday, parts of the Great Lakes may face lake-effect snow, with over 10 million people under winter storm warnings from upstate New York to New England.
