According to the authorities, several children are also among the dead, including four children from one family.
The area has experienced severe storms and rain showers. In a 24-hour period, 13 to 25 centimeters of precipitation fell. Governor Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency for parts of Kentucky. He fears the death toll will rise for weeks to come.
Beshear, in a statement, speaks of “one of the worst and most devastating floods in Kentucky history.” He says hundreds of people will lose their homes. Many roads are currently impassable and about 20,000 people in the area were still without power on Friday evening.
The army and the police have been deployed to evacuate people with helicopters and boats and get them from roofs to which they have fled. According to Beshear, the material damage is enormous. “For many families, it will likely take months, or even years, to recover.”
It is the second time in more than seven months that Kentucky has been hit by a natural disaster. In December last year, the state was hit by tornadoes. Dozens of people were killed and hundreds were injured.