Heavy rainfall, flash flooding hits Eastern US states: See photos
At least eight people, including a child, are confirmed dead in Kentucky after heavy storms swept through the state, according to officials.
On Sunday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed the deaths during a press conference Sunday and said over a thousand people were rescued in the first 24 hours of the storm.
“We believe this number is going to grow,” Beshear said.
The victims include two men from Pike County; a woman in Washington County; a man, woman and child in Hart County; and an unidentified person in Nelson County, Beshear said.
A 73-year-old man in Manchester, Kentucky was identified by the Clay County Coroner's Office as another death due to the storm.
Some areas in Kentucky received more than 6 inches of rain within a 48-hour period, resulting in "widespread flooding issues," according to the National Weather Service in Louisville.
Beshear declared a state of emergency Friday ahead of the "life-threatening" storm that brought heavy rain and flash floods to the state.
Flooding hits Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee
Portions of the Ohio Valley, Tennessee Valley and Lower Mississippi Valleys all stood a chance of being hit with widespread showers and thunderstorms as the storm moves eastward to the Appalachians, the weather service said.
A tornado watch was in effect Saturday evening along a line of storms extending north from central Louisiana into western Tennessee, affecting about 3.5 million people. The NWS also issued tornado warnings for select parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi on Saturday night.
Areas of Kentucky experience significant rainfall, flooding: See photos
Contributing: David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer
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