Kentucky governor says 4 dead amid flooding caused by heavy rains

Kentucky governor says 4 dead amid flooding caused by heavy rains

Two of the flood victims, a man and a woman, were found dead inside their house

Four people have died due to flooding from thunderstorms in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday, and he declared a state of emergency with additional rainfall expected.

Flash flood warnings were in effect Saturday for parts of Kentucky and Indiana amid heavy rainfall, according to the National Weather Service.

The agency late Saturday afternoon said between 100 and 250 millimetres of rain had already fallen in some parts of southwestern Indiana, with more possible. Beshear's office said up to 178 millimetres of rain were expected in parts of his state through the late evening.

He said on social media that three people had died in Madison County and one in Jackson County due to flooding.

Another victim was extracted from a vehicle trapped in floodwaters on Tates Creek Road near Lexington, the coroner's office said.

Carlos Coyle, the deputy Madison County coroner, said search and rescue teams were going door to door searching for victims in hard-hit areas. Some areas still were not accessible, he said.

Beshear said on social media there were "significant roads underwater" in Madison County. He also said at least 12 state roads were "out of commission" because they were flooded.

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"This is a serious flooding event, where teams have already had to conduct multiple water rescues from vehicles and homes across the commonwealth," he said in a separate statement.

"As more heavy rain continues through late tonight, we need folks to remain alert and to avoid driving, especially after dark when there is limited visibility."

In northwest Kentucky, just outside Louisville, Bullitt County emergency management officials asked residents of a rural road to evacuate as a precaution after a landslide at a dam embankment. The dam was holding, and there was no indication of imminent failure, they said.

The area saw about 76 millimetres of rain in the past two days, according to the National Weather Service.