Kentucky Flooding Death Toll Reaches 37 as Dangerous Heat Forecast

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After catastrophic flooding caused by severe flooding in eastern Kentucky, 37 people died on Monday.

Gov. Andy Beshear stated in a Tuesday press conference that more bodies were found overnight.

He said, “Let’s pray for these families” and then warned of possible more severe storms in the area.

Beshear said that many other residents remain missing.

Kentucky is expected to experience more wet weather this week and next.

The Governor also warned that high winds can cause the danger of utility poles and trees falling, and that dangerous heat could make it more difficult to manage.

“Listen, I understand you might be out there trying to salvage what you can, but please be careful”. He said Wednesday and Thursday, “when it gets hot, they’ll bring in water by the truckloads”.

After the flooding that caused 8 to 10 1/2 inches of rainfall in Kentucky, parts of Virginia, and West Virginia in 48 hours, rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing.

PowerOutage.US tracks that more than 10,000 Kentucky customers were without power Tuesday morning. This is in addition to more than 21,000 Indiana customers who lost power after severe storms in Indiana.

17 other water systems are also under restricted operation.

Many people are living in shelters. Homes and vehicles have been completely submerged. After reports of looting, curfews in Breathitt and Knott counties were ordered.

There have been no arrests.

“It is a terrible thing to have to enforce a curfew but looting will not be tolerated. Our neighbors and friends have suffered so much”. “We cannot allow them to lose everything they have left,” Brendon Miller, County Attorney, stated in a Facebook post.

According to Beshear, flood damage costs “hundreds and millions of dollars.”