Death toll in Kentucky flooding rises to 15, governor says

The death toll from flooding in eastern Kentucky has risen to 15 people, Governor Andy Beshear said on Friday, after days of torrential rainfall inundated homes, washed out roads and caused rivers and streams to overflow their banks.

"We have lost at least 15 Kentuckians though that number is going to grow, probably more than double," Beshear said in a video on Twitter, noting that 23,000 homes and businesses were without power. "This situation is ongoing. We are still in the search and rescue mode."

Flood warnings and watches remained in effect throughout the day for the eastern half of the state as well as northeast Tennessee and western West Virginia, where more rainfall was expected to swell waterways that were already well above their flood stages, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

Rivers across the region were expected to crest on Friday and throughout the weekend while the risk of more dangerous flash flooding remained possible again throughout the day, the NWS said.

(Source: Reuters)

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