Kentucky floods kill 8, more deaths expected, governor says

KENTUCKY, US, 29th July, 2022 (WAM) — Flooding in eastern Kentucky has caused at least eight deaths, Reuters quoted Governor Andy Beshear as saying on Thursday, and the death toll is expected to reach double digits as water continues to rise.

A series of storms drenching the eastern part of the state has dropped water that has yet to crest, leaving damage that could take years to repair, said Beshear, who declared a state of emergency in six counties on Thursday morning.

“This is an ongoing natural disaster, with more rain expected tonight that could worsen the situation,” Beshear said.

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.