(Jackson) National Guard-backed rescue workers continued Friday to search for victims missing in the wake of unprecedented flooding that wiped entire communities off the map in some of the poorest parts of the United States.
Posted at 8:35 a.m.
The governor of Kentucky testified Friday morning to 15 deaths, a toll that is likely to increase as the rain continues to fall.
“We still have a lot of digging to do,” said Perry County Emergency Manager Jerry Stacy, which was hit hard by the disaster. There are still missing people. »
The floods devastated towns along creeks that flow through valleys in the Appalachia region, piling vehicles against each other, forming mountains of debris against bridges and invading homes and businesses.
PHOTO MATT STONE, USA TODAY NETWORK VIA REUTERS
Tonya Smith and her parents scavenged for food over a swollen creek on July 28 in County, Kentucky.
Mudslides trapped people and knocked out electricity, further complicating rescue.
Prior to visiting the disaster area, Governor Andy Beshear told The Associated Press that there are children among the 15 victims and that he expects “the death toll to more than double, possibly as early as today.” today”.
It is difficult to calculate the number of missing people, he added, since electricity and cell service are down in the area. More than 200 people have requested refuge. The National Guard has been deployed to the hardest hit areas. Three parks have opened shelters and a website has been set up to collect donations for the victims.
“I think this is going to end up being some of the worst, deadliest flooding in Kentucky in a very long time,” Beshear said Thursday.
Although the water has started to recede in some places, the U.S. National Weather Service warned that flash floods remain possible through Friday evening in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, western Virginia and southern West Virginia.
Up to 15 centimeters of rain had fallen in some areas as of Thursday and up to 7.5 centimeters more were expected, according to the National Weather Service.
“Where there used to be mobile homes and houses, there’s nothing left… It’s amazing to see,” Stacy said. You get 20 centimeters of water in three hours, that’s unheard of ― never, never. »
Rescuers used helicopters and boats to rescue the victims. Flooding is also reported in western Virginia and southern West Virginia.
The site poweroutage.us testified Friday to more than 33,000 power outages in eastern Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia, but mainly in Kentucky.
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice declared a state of emergency in six counties after severe thunderstorms caused flooding, uprooted trees, caused power outages and blocked roads.