US Kentucky floods: Severe floods are battering the United States' Kentucky, and have claimed the lives of at least 25 people, including four children. These floods are likely to increase as search and rescue operations are underway. US President Joe Biden has declared the floods "a major disaster" and taking account of the incident, has ordered federal aid to help local rescuers. Biden said that he is taking more action to help the affected families.
"I’m taking more action to help the families being displaced and lives lost due to the flooding in Kentucky. Today, I added Individual Assistance to the Major Disaster declaration I approved to expedite support to flooding survivors," he tweeted.
The death toll in flood-stricken parts of eastern Kentucky climbed to at least 25 and will almost certainly 'get worse' as first responders work to account for missing residents, CNN reported citing the state's governor Andy Beshear on Saturday.
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear called the recent floods the most devastating flooding in the region and said that the immediate goal is "to get as many people to safety as possible".
"It is a really hard thing right now, with how wide the destruction is (and) areas that are impacted, to get any firm number on people that are missing," said Beshear, urging residents to report missing persons.
The state Governor said that hundreds of people have been rescued by air and water in recent days by National Guard members from Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, as well as by officers from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife and State Police, CNN reported.
Cellphone service is still out in some counties, and water systems are overwhelmed. One hospital had no water, he added. "To everyone in Eastern Kentucky, we are going to be there for you today and in the weeks, months and years ahead. We will get through this together," Beshear said in a tweet on Saturday. Beshear announced at a news conference on Saturday that the confirmed deaths had occurred across five counties.
Rescue efforts have been hindered due to power outages persisting Saturday with more than 13,000 homes and businesses remaining in the dark, as per the PowerOutage.US.
Massive floodwaters washed out homes in several counties, leaving some residents scrambling to their rooftops to escape the deadly flooding. Officials believe thousands have been affected by the storms, and efforts to rebuild some areas may take years.
The city of Hazard in southeastern Kentucky had seven of its nine bridges impassable, an "unheard of" number, Mayor Donald "Happy" Mobelini said on Friday morning. Among the buildings wiped out to include a two-story church, pastor Peter Youmans told CNN Friday.
(With ANI Inputs)
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