At least nine individuals have perished as devastating floods and heavy rains caused chaos in some parts of the Southeastern United States over the weekend. Eight fatalities were reported in the state by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, with concerns the death toll might increase as rescue efforts are underway. A Georgian man was the ninth victim after an uprooted tree crushed his house when he was still in bed.
The flooding has caused large-scale destruction in Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina, all of which were still under storm-related notices. According to poweroutage.us, over half a million homes in the eight states were without electricity by Sunday night.
The disaster especially hard hit Kentucky. The torrential rain, reaching as much as six inches (15 cm) in places, caused rivers to swell rapidly, inundating streets and leaving cars stranded in seas of water. Among the dead in Kentucky were a mother and her seven-year-old son and a 73-year-old man. Governor Beshear said that over 300 roads were closed as a result of the floods, and he had also asked the White House to declare an emergency disaster. That declaration was given, allowing FEMA to coordinate the recovery.
Floodwaters in Tennessee breached a levee in Obion County, leading to emergency evacuations in the town of Rives. Mayor Steve Carr issued a state of emergency warning of life-threatening situations from rising waters, subfreezing temperatures, and electricity outages. The flooding was exacerbated by its rapidity, leaving residents scrambling for survival.
In addition to the flooding, meteorologists have warned of a polar vortex that will hit the northern Rocky Mountains and northern Plains later this week. As temperatures drop to record lows, Colorado has already opened shelters for its homeless ahead of the harsh cold.
Though the initial effects of the flooding are still unfolding, authorities have warned that the worst is perhaps yet to come as rivers in some places are still on the rise. The extent of the damage and the death toll may be more apparent in the next few days.
