Death Toll and Geographic Spread
Four people died in flash floods across Kentucky after thunderstorms dumped as much as 7 inches of rain on the state, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday. Three of the deaths occurred in Madison County and one in Jackson County, according to Beshear's social media post. Madison County Coroner Jimmy Cornelison identified the victims as three adults aged roughly 40 to 59. One died in a weather-related car accident, while the other two, a man and a woman, were killed in a flooded basement.
Emergency Response and Rescue Operations
Beshear declared a state of emergency Saturday as heavy rainfall continued through the evening. Five search and rescue teams were deployed to Madison County, and high-axle vehicles assisted with water rescues from vehicles and homes. At least 12 state roads were flooded and out of commission, with significant roads underwater in Madison County. An emergency landing station opened for flood victims at Madison Home shelter.
Five counties—Bullitt, Madison, Meade, Mercer, and Spencer—declared local states of emergency. In northwestern Kentucky just outside Louisville, Bullitt County emergency management officials ordered residents of a rural road to evacuate after a landslide at a dam embankment, though the dam was holding with no indication of imminent failure.
Rainfall Severity and Warnings
Parts of southwestern Indiana received between 4 and 10 inches of rain by late Saturday, with more rainfall possible. The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for parts of Kentucky and Indiana on Saturday. Beshear warned residents in a video message not to drive after dark, noting that a motorist was swept away and killed by the floods. He said the storms proved more severe than expected, with heavy rainfall expected to let up by 11 p.m. local time.
"This is a serious flooding event, where teams have already had to conduct multiple water rescues from vehicles and homes across the commonwealth," Beshear said in a statement. "As more heavy rain continues through late tonight, we need folks to remain alert and to avoid driving, especially after dark when there is limited visibility."
Bullitt County, which saw about 3 inches of rain in the past two days, reported that flood waters may have begun to recede in some areas by Saturday evening, but cautioned that danger remained.
