The death toll from flooding in Kentucky continues to grow. “It has risen to twenty-five dead, and that number will probably increase”said the governor of this American state on Saturday, July 30, while a previous report reported sixteen dead.
“I unfortunately believe that we will find bodies for weeks”added the governor, Democrat, as torrential rains fell on 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, not six as previously reported. According to the local newspaper Lexington Herald Leaderthey are four brothers and sisters, who were from 1 year and a half to 8 years old, who were swept away by the waters while they had taken refuge at the top of a tree with their parents.
Mobile phone services no longer work
The governor noted that it was still difficult to estimate the number of missing, as mobile phone services are no longer working in the worst affected areas and people who escaped the torrential rains cannot reassure their families.
United States President Joe Biden has declared a state of natural disaster and released federal reinforcements to support areas affected by the “the storm, the floods, the landslides and the mudslides”.
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 rescuers. Fifteen reception centers have been opened in schools, churches and natural parks.
Twenty centimeters of rain in twenty-four hours
In the area around Jackson, some roads have become rivers, with abandoned cars here and there. At the bottom of the small valleys surrounded by forests, the land was flooded Thursday with light brown muddy water that left only the roofs of buildings and trees protruding in some places. Parts of Kentucky received up to 20 centimeters of rain in twenty-four hours.
It stopped raining on Saturday in the region, but more rain is expected on Sunday, which may pose new logistical problems for rescuers, who have difficulty getting around because many roads are blocked, bridges are unusable and the water level is still very high. “Our problem will be Sunday”Mr. Beshear confirmed on CNN. “It will start to rain again and although we think it will not be historic rains, it will be hard. »
Extreme weather events
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 “fresh 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 had ravaged five states in the center of the United States, mainly Kentucky, and killed at least seventy-nine 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”, did he declare. Caravans that had temporarily relocated victims of tornadoes last winter have been sent to the east of the state, where they should arrive quickly.