PERRY COUNTY, Ky. — Rescue workers plucked people off rooftops amid fast-rising water Thursday after rainfall unleashed severe flash floods, washing away homes and blocking roadways in what Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear described as some of the worst flooding in the state’s history.
What You Need To Know
- Heavy rain brought severe flash flooding to eastern Kentucky Thursday morning
- Residents reported homes being washed away
- Over 25,000 power outages have been reported
- Gov. Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency
There were reports of flash flooding, mudslides and power outages across a mountainous area where thunderstorms have dumped several inches of rain over the past few days. A Flood Watch remains in effect for the area through Friday.
Over 25,000 outages have reported as of 11:45 a.m., including over half of Knott and Letcher county residents.
Beshear said hundreds of properties could be destroyed.
“What we’re going to see coming out of this is massive property damage,” Beshear said during a briefing Thursday. “We expect the loss of life. Hundreds will lose their homes and this is going to be yet another event that it’s going to take not months but likely years for many families to rebuild and recover from.”
Beshear called Thursday’s weather “one of the worst flooding events in Kentucky’s history,” and officials on the ground say the flooding has not yet begun to crest.
Floyd, Breathitt, Clay, Owsley, Letcher and Pike counties have declared emergencies. Several homes have been washed off, and local residents reported people have been unaccounted for in Perry and Breathitt counties.
This morning much of eastern/southeastern Kentucky is dealing with #flashflooding. https://t.co/Tg6fT1v8Mr reports nearly 22,000 people without power at this hour.
📸 Candace Sturgill Nickles – Neon, Ky@SpectrumNews1KY pic.twitter.com/GbY2OA0IKn
— Diamond Palmer | Spectrum News 1 (@diamondpalmertv) July 28, 2022
“There are a lot of people in eastern Kentucky on top of roofs waiting to be rescued,” the governor added. “There are a number of people that are unaccounted for and I’m nearly certain this is a situation where we are going to lose some of them.”
Roads in many areas weren’t passable after as much as 6 inches of rain had fallen in some areas by Thursday, and 1-3 more inches could fall, the National Weather Service said. People in low areas in Perry, Leslie and Clay counties were urged to seek higher ground after multiple swift water rescues were reported.
Perry County dispatchers said floodwaters washed out roads and bridges and knocked homes off of their foundations. The city of Hazard posted on Facebook that crews were out all night helping people. The city urged drivers to stay off roads and to “pray for a break in the rain.”
“It’s a catastrophic event,” said Perry County emergency management director Jerry Stacy, 54. “I’ve lived here in Perry County all my life and this is by the far the worst event I’ve ever seen.”
“We’re just in the rescue mode right now,” said, speaking with The Associated Press by phone as he struggled to reach his office in Hazard Thursday morning. “Extreme flash flooding and mudslides are just everywhere.”
Lick branch, Whick @JohnnyRayFeltn1 @Kentuckyweather @WYMT @BillMeck pic.twitter.com/ugrmmhysem
— Gary Raleigh (@Graleigh1224) July 28, 2022
Breathitt County Emergency Management opened the local courthouse as a flooding shelter late Wednesday night, local officials said.
Eastern Kentucky resident Johnny Ray Feltner said on Twitter that as much as 8 inches of running water was flowing through downtown Campton.
Beshear said he has deployed National Guard soldiers to the hardest-hit areas, and three parks in the region were opened as shelters for displaced people.
“To everyone in Eastern Kentucky, we care about you and we love you,” Gov. Beshear wrote on social media. “We’re going to do our very best to do everything we can to help you.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
