Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear revealed on Sunday that two individuals lost their lives and more than 500 roads were shut down in the state as a result of severe storms and floods. These tragic events have also led to the deaths of over a dozen people in other states in the U.S. South and Midwest over the past week.
“Kentucky is facing unprecedented flooding, with over 500 roads blocked off. The rivers have not yet reached their peak, so we anticipate another day, if not more, of rising water levels. We have already mourned the loss of two of our fellow citizens,” Beshear shared on the social media platform X.
In Kentucky, one of the deceased was a 9-year-old boy who was swept away by floodwaters while on his way to the school bus stop on Friday morning, as reported by the Frankfort police.
Beshear also mentioned on Sunday that numerous households had to be evacuated and access to water was limited in the state capital of Frankfort. He announced that state offices will remain closed on Monday.
A deadly spring storm unleashed tornadoes and heavy rainfall from Texas to Ohio in the past week. Tennessee recorded 10 fatalities during this period, according to the local health department. On top of the two deaths reported by the Kentucky governor, there were two fatalities in Missouri and one each in Arkansas, Indiana, and Mississippi, as per local media sources.
According to Climate Central, a nonprofit organization that studies weather patterns, climate change is intensifying rainfall and flood risks across most regions of the U.S., with the upper Midwest and Ohio River Valley being particularly impacted.
