The balance sheet continues to grow. The devastating floods in the American state of Kentucky have killed at least 37 people, announced Monday, August 1, Andy Beshear, the governor of Kentucky. He said the death toll is likely to rise as relief workers reach flood-hit areas and find more bodies. Their search was hampered by further rain on Monday and further thunderstorms are expected tonight.
The National Weather Service has placed most of eastern Kentucky on a flood alert through Tuesday morning and warned of a risk of thunderstorms tonight in the area. “Heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding as well as severe thunderstorms is possible”wrote the National Meteorological Center on Twitter.
Bridges washed away, houses swept away
The floods, which began last week and are among the most severe to ever hit Kentucky, have turned some roads into rivers, washed away bridges and swept away homes in one of the country’s most deprived areas.
Damage to mobile phone antennas complicated rescue efforts and estimating the number of dead and missing. On Sunday, the governor said bodies would be found “for weeks, many of which will have been swept away hundreds of meters”. US President Joe Biden has declared a state of “natural disaster” and released federal reinforcements.
