(Photo : LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)
At least 16 people have died as a result of generational floods in eastern Kentucky as Gov. Andy Beshear noted that the death toll was "likely to grow a lot higher."
The National Guard-supported search and rescue teams looked for missing persons on Friday after record flooding in some of the most impoverished areas of the country completely destroyed entire communities. The governor of Kentucky reported at least 16 fatalities, and he anticipated that number to rise.
At least six children were among the casualties, according to governor Andy Beshear. He predicted early on Friday that the death toll will "go a lot higher" and later said that officials would keep revising the figure "for the next few weeks."
Kentucky Flood Death Toll Climbs
In Appalachian valleys and hollows, communities that are close to creeks and streams were overwhelmed by powerful floodwaters that flooded houses and businesses, piled up abandoned cars, and crunched errant machinery and debris against bridges. Residents lost power as mudslides trapped people on steep hillsides.
The neighborhood was hit by floodwaters so severely and fast that locals, many of whom were still in recovery from the previous storm, hardly had time to flee. On Thursday, emergency personnel performed hundreds of water rescues as well as nearly 50 air rescues, according to the governor. The water won't reach its peak in some places until tomorrow, and the search and rescue effort is still going on, as per CBS News.
According to Beshear, more than 290 individuals have sought refuge. He sent National Guard troops to the worst-affected districts. The governor launched an internet gateway for donations to the victims since the property destruction was so severe, and three parks set up shelters. Beshear said President Joe Biden phoned to offer his support for the protracted recovery process, estimating it will take more than a year to properly reconstruct.
Per NY Daily News, the extent and severity of the flooding make it unknown how many individuals are still missing. Even rescuers were unable to go to every area of the state to assess the situation. Beshear warned that when the region is explored, the death toll might keep growing for weeks. Rebuilding, he claimed, would take years.
Rain May Resume in Kentucky on Sunday
On Thursday, the West Virginia National Guard joined its neighbors in the reaction after the Kentucky National Guard was called to duty. On Friday, President Biden issued a disaster declaration, and FEMA started organizing a response. In order to deal with floods on the other side of the state line, Virginia also alerted its National Guard.
According to Beshear, there were more than 300 individuals residing in shelters on Friday. There were probably many more persons who lost their houses but were unable to go to a facility right away. The rain may return early next week, but forecasters predict Saturday and early Sunday to be dry.
This summer, Eastern Kentucky was just the latest region to experience record-breaking floods and excessive rain. St. Louis saw historic floods only three days prior, which rendered the city inaccessible. Large areas of Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park were destroyed by floods in June, and southern Montanan villages were also severely affected.
Additionally, Kentucky in particular has had a horrible stretch of extreme weather, from dozens-deadly tornadoes in December to a bomb cyclone in March. These storms, along with several other extreme weather incidents around the nation and the globe, according to weather forecasters, are only the beginning of the global repercussions that decades of climate change will have.
Although major rainfall is not anticipated, the rain may return to Kentucky late on Sunday through early the next week. According to Friday's statement from White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration and is getting reports "very regularly," ABC News reported.
Related Article: Deadly Flood in Kentucky Kills 8, Fatalities Expected To Increase; Governor Andy Beshear Says Hundreds Will Lose Their Homes
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