At least 15 people died in the US state of Kentucky after heavy rains and flooding over the week, the local government said, which expects the figure to double over the course of Friday.
Governor Andy Beshear said 23,000 homes and businesses were without power, and police were using helicopters and boats to rescue dozens of people trapped in homes and vehicles.
Some of the victims are children, Beshear, a Democrat, said in a brief video statement. “We may have lost entire families this week,” he said.
Flood warnings remain in effect for the eastern half of the state, as well as parts of Tennessee and West Virginia, where more rain is forecast for the rest of the day, according to information from the National Weather Service.
The volume of rains has raised the level of local rivers, and flash floods, but dangerous, may recur. Other regions of the United States also felt the impact of the rains. In Las Vegas, floods flooded streets and casinos.
US President Joe Biden also approved a disaster declaration for Kentucky on Friday. With the measure, federal aid will be sent to complement the financial contributions of the state in the fight against the consequences of the floods.
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