Over the weekend, catastrophic flooding in the southeastern United States has left at least 10 people dead, with extensive damage reported in Kentucky and Georgia. Residents are grappling with power outages and emergency evacuations as state and federal officials respond to the crisis.
Southeast US Faces Deadly Floods as Casualties Rise to 10
Southeast US Faces Deadly Floods as Casualties Rise to 10
Torrential downpours wreak havoc across several states, prompting emergency declarations and rescue operations.
At least ten individuals have lost their lives following a weekend of severe flooding across the southeastern United States, primarily affecting Kentucky and Georgia. The relentless rain, which brought approximately six inches (15 cm) of precipitation to some Kentucky regions, resulted in numerous road and home inundations, compelling Governor Andy Beshear to declare a state of emergency.
In Kentucky, where nine deaths were confirmed, around 1,000 people were trapped by rising waters and required rescue efforts. Tragically, among the deceased were a mother and her seven-year-old child. In Georgia, a man was killed when an uprooted tree smashed into his home while he was sleeping. The impacts of this catastrophic weather were felt in several other states—including Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina—all of which faced storm-related alerts.
Power outages plagued hundreds of thousands of residents, but that number began to decline by early Monday. Local officials reported that Kentucky's swift influx of rain caused river levels to surge, leaving vehicles submerged in several feet of water and closing off numerous roads. Eyewitness accounts revealed Toronto-like flooding, causing residents in Knott County to express concerns about losing their homes once again, having barely recovered from earlier flooding incidents.
Governor Beshear communicated with the White House to secure federal disaster relief assistance, with President Trump approving the emergency declaration, allowing FEMA to initiate coordinated disaster response activities. Areas such as Obion County, Tennessee, experienced levee breaches, leading to rapid flooding, while mandatory evacuations were ordered in small towns like Rives.
West Virginia's authorities also enacted emergency measures in over a dozen counties as the situation escalated. Meanwhile, Kristi Noem, head of the Department of Homeland Security, reassured state governors that federal resources were available to support local emergency management efforts. This devastating weather pattern is expected to transition to heavy snowfall in parts of Canada with an impending cold front posing risks of record-breaking low temperatures across the central US later this week.
