Kentucky emergency crews rescue flood victims as state braces for more rain

Gov. Andy Beshear declared a statewide state of emergency Saturday as emergency crews pulled people from water in several Kentucky communities.

Beshear said the commonwealth could see as much as 7 inches of rain in some areas, with heavy rainfall expected to continue through late night, including as late as 11 p.m. EDT. He urged residents to stay alert and avoid driving, especially after dark, when visibility falls and flooded roads become harder to judge. Beshear said teams had already carried out multiple water rescues from homes and vehicles across the state.

Bullitt, Madison, Meade, Mercer and Spencer counties had each declared local states of emergency, and emergency crews in Richmond and Madison County were responding to water rescues. Richmond Mayor Robert Blythe also declared a city state of emergency Saturday afternoon because of hazardous flooding tied to the ongoing rainfall.

At least one person had died, and Beshear warned there could be multiple fatalities as the flooding spread. One motorist was killed after being swept away by flash flooding, Beshear said.

The National Weather Service warned that repeated rounds of storms could produce locally significant flash flooding across Kentucky and southern Indiana, with flash flood warnings and flash watches active across the region. In its Louisville briefing, storms could move over the same places more than once, raising the risk of fast-rising water in neighborhoods, along roadways and in low-lying areas.