Kentucky declares emergency as flooding kills one and rescues continue

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a statewide state of emergency on Saturday as emergency crews rescued people from flooded homes and vehicles across the commonwealth. He said at least one person had died and warned there could be multiple fatalities, after one motorist was killed when flash flooding swept the vehicle away.

“This is a serious flooding event, where teams have already had to conduct multiple water rescues from vehicles and homes across the commonwealth,” Beshear said.

Beshear said 6 to 7 inches of rain had already fallen in some parts of Kentucky, with another round of rainfall expected between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time. He urged residents to avoid unnecessary driving, especially after dark, as rising water and limited visibility made roads more dangerous.

Bullitt, Madison, Meade, Mercer and Spencer counties each declared local states of emergency, and emergency crews in Richmond were responding to water rescues as flooding worsened there.

Richmond Mayor Robert Blythe declared a state of emergency in the city Saturday afternoon because of hazardous flooding from ongoing rainfall. In Mercer County, Judge/Executive Sarah Steele issued a state of emergency at the request of the county’s emergency management department as flash flooding continued to spread across roads and low-lying areas.