Devastating floods in Kentucky have caused extensive damage across the state. (Photo Credit: Brian Simms/Lexington Herald-Leader/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The eastern United States was hit by another powerful winter storm over the weekend, causing widespread flooding in Kentucky and killing many people.
At least nine people have died in Kentucky and one in Georgia, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue efforts continue this week, according to AccuWeather.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday (Feb. 16) that most of the state's deaths were the result of vehicles becoming trapped in deep water, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
“So, my friends, stay off the roads and stay safe,” Beshear said, via AP. “We’re in the search and rescue phase of this effort, and I’m proud of all the Kentuckians who are risking their lives in this response.”
More than 1,000 people have been rescued across Kentucky since the storm began Saturday (Feb. 15), but hundreds of others are still stranded, the AP reported. Beshear warned that more flooding is expected in the coming days, according to AccuWeather.
The flooding is linked to a storm moving east across the country and moisture rising from the Gulf of Mexico.
The National Weather Service warned in a social media post Friday (Feb. 14) that repeated heavy rainfall Friday night and Saturday could lead to a high risk of life-threatening flooding in Kentucky.
Western Kentucky and Tennessee are at particularly high risk for flooding because the soil in the region was already saturated with water from previous storms, making the threat worse with increased rainfall from the new storm, AccuWeather said.
Rescuers used boats to reach stranded people as photos on social media showed roads, cars and parts of buildings submerged in water.
The flooding led counties in several affected states to declare states of emergency over the weekend. For example, parts of Obion County, Tennessee, were placed under a state of emergency after a dam on the river broke, flooding the small town of Reeves, the AP reported. Reeves is still under a state of emergency for now.
“A mandatory evacuation will be in effect for Reeves residents due to rising waters, power outages and freezing temperatures creating a life-threatening situation,” Obion County Mayor Steve Carr said Sunday in a statement provided to the AP.
The U.S. will continue to see stormy weather this week, as forecasters predict a blast of Arctic air will bring record cold to the central U.S. between Tuesday (Feb. 18) and Thursday (Feb. 20). The northern Plains will experience wind chills of -30 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 degrees Celsius) to -60 degrees Fahrenheit (-52 degrees Celsius), while below-freezing wind chills are expected in southern Texas, Arkansas, western Tennessee and Kentucky, according to the National Weather Service.
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