The death toll from the devastating Kentucky floods has risen to 25 and is expected to rise further, the governor of that US state said on Saturday, as emergency services and residents continued to search for survivors.
“We have 25 confirmed dead,” Andy Beshear said during a press conference. “This balance sheet will continue to rise.”
“I unfortunately believe that we are going to find bodies for weeks,” added the Democratic governor, as torrential rains battered the east of this rural state overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, turning some roads into rivers and forcing residents to take refuge on the roof of their house while waiting for help.
Mr Beshear said four children died in the floods and not six as previously reported.
According to the local newspaper Lexington Herald Leader, they are four siblings, aged between one and a half and eight years old, who were swept away by the waters while they had taken refuge on top of a tree. with their parents.
Some areas of Kentucky received some 20 centimeters of rain in 24 hours and, in places, the waters of the rivers suddenly rose several meters before emerging from their beds.
The governor noted that it was still difficult to estimate the number of missing, because mobile phone services are no longer working in the worst affected areas and people who escaped the torrential rains cannot reassure their families.
President Joe Biden declared a state of “natural disaster” and released federal reinforcements to support areas affected by “storm, flooding, landslides and mudslides”.
Logistic problems
National Guard reservists have carried out 650 evacuations by helicopter since Wednesday, while state security services have carried out 750 by boat, according to Beshear, who stressed that the operations were “extremely stressful and difficult” for the lifeguards.
Fifteen reception centers have been opened in schools, churches and natural parks.
It stopped raining on Saturday in the region but more rain is expected on Sunday, which could pose new logistical problems for rescuers who have difficulty reaching victims because many roads are cut off, bridges are unusable and the level water is still too high.
“Our problem will be Sunday,” Beshear confirmed to CNN. “It will start to rain again and even if we think that it will not be historic rains, it will be hard”.
In addition, hot weather is expected next week and thousands of homes are without electricity and therefore air conditioning, but also drinking water. The authorities are preparing to set up “cooling centers” with portable generators for the most vulnerable, and to distribute water.
These floods are the most recent manifestations of extreme weather events that are becoming more frequent with human-induced global warming.
In December, several dozen violent tornadoes ravaged five states in the central United States, mainly western Kentucky, and killed at least 79 people.
Paradoxically, these tornadoes helped Kentucky better prepare for natural disasters, the governor noted.
“We learned a lot of lessons in western Kentucky with those devastating tornadoes seven months ago,” he said. Caravans that had temporarily relocated victims of tornadoes last winter have been sent to the east of the state, where they should arrive quickly.