UPDATE: Flooding Claims Sixth Life

Updated Friday, April 11

The death toll from Kentucky's recent flooding now stands at six. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced Thursday that thousands of Kentuckians are without power and water. More than 2,500 customers don't have power, and nearly 800 don't have water. More than 3,500 are under boil water advisories. Three Kentucky water systems remain offline, and 18 are under limited operation.

Governor Beshear said although river and creek levels have gone down, not all have crested. Standing water is still a danger. More than 350 state roads are still closed, including 341 by high water and 12 by mud and rockslides. That number is down from 550 at the peak of the flood. Bridge inspections and highway assessments show that four of the 85 inspected bridges have issues. Barricades are still in place on many roads and drivers are cautioned not to pass them or drive through standing water. A list of road closures can be found online at GoKy.ky.gov. 

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Updated Tuesday, April 8

Kentucky cities continue to deal with flooding from storms that hit the commonwealth last week and through the weekend, claiming four lives as of Tuesday. Governor Andy Beshear said Tuesday that although the threat of severe storms has ended, several rivers and creeks remain at or above flood stage, and many roads remain underwater in several areas.

As of 9 a.m. Tuesday, 457 roads were closed – 440 were due to high water, and 17 from mud or rockslides. A list of road closures can be found online at GoKy.ky.gov.

More than 2,600 Kentuckians continue to experience power outages, and more than 850 customers are without water. Five wastewater systems are not operational, the largest being Frankfort. Twenty-nine other plants are operating on a limited basis as other plants are being evaluated.

Search and rescue crews from Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia are assisting with rescue efforts. Crews from Bowling Green, Campbellsville, Lexington, and Louisville have also been sent to help those in need. Teams have performed 142 rescues and 272 evacuations by boat. As the situation develops at the Ohio River, Maryland task force members are going to Henderson for possible evacuations tomorrow. There are 357 soldiers and airmen from the Kentucky National Guard mobilized to conduct missions with Kentucky Emergency Management. Guard assets are currently supporting evacuation, search and rescue, and distribution efforts.

The Kentucky League of Cities' "Cities Helping Cities" program can help mayors in affected areas with current or future needs. Learn more about the program and how to report claims and damages here.

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Kentucky cities continue to deal with flooding from storms that hit the commonwealth last week and through the weekend. Governor Andy Beshear reported Monday morning that two people have died, and one person is missing.

Frankfort Mayor and KLC Board of Directors member Layne Wilkerson said water in his city is beginning to recede. He urged continued caution in the coming days. “Overnight here in the City of Frankfort, the river did crest just shy of the record set in 1978. This is still a dangerous flood, and we are continuing to monitor the situation.”  Wilkerson said a curfew was imposed Sunday night to Monday morning and will be in place again from dusk to dawn Monday night to Tuesday morning. “We set a curfew from dusk to dawn. We’re going to do so again tonight in the interest of public safety, protecting private property, and allowing our crews to operate efficiently,” he said.

The city did not mandate evacuations, but Wilkerson said people in affected areas were strongly encouraged to seek higher ground. He said fewer than 50 families and their pets have been given shelter, and the city can serve 200 additional families if needed. “We’re going to get through this in a matter of days. Just stay vigilant and stay cautious. We don’t want to lose any more of our community members to this water.”

Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson said this is a widespread event. “The messaging sent out from the communications team here and throughout the media outlets we shared with for many days before this event happened probably has been very impactful to saving many Kentuckians. People had a chance to be warned that it was a good idea to identify a place [MH1] to go, to get some things out of the way, and to make a plan,” he said. He added that although lives were lost and those losses were tragic, the messaging has been successful and helped save others.

Gibson said rescue crews from Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia are assisting with rescue efforts. Crews from Bowling Green, Campbellsville, Lexington, and Louisville have also been sent to help those in need.

Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray said 538 state roads remain closed. “Turn around. Don’t drown. We’ve had reports of folks actually moving barricades. Don’t do that. Those barricades are there for a reason.” Gray added that a list of road closures can be found online at GoKy.ky.gov.

 The Kentucky League of Cities' "Cities Helping Cities" program can help mayors in affected areas with current or future needs. Learn more about the program and how to report claims and damages here.