“We’re preparing for it and making sure all the residents there are prepared for it because we just don’t want to lose anybody else or have another tragedy,” he told CNN’s Pamela Brown on Saturday. A flash flood watch is in effect through at least Monday morning for parts of southern and eastern Kentucky, according to the National Weather Service, and there is a level 3 out of 4 moderate risk for excessive rainfall Sunday across southeastern Kentucky, according to the Weather Prediction Center. escalating concern about additional flooding. Widespread rainfall of 1 to 3 inches is forecast over the next 24 to 48 hours, but up to 4 or 5 inches are possible in localized areas. As little as 1 to 2 inches can revive flooding concerns, particularly in areas already inundated by heavy rainfall where the ground is saturated. The ominous forecast comes as crews in eastern Kentucky continue their search for people still missing after last Thursday’s devastating floodwaters inundated homes and swept some off their foundations, prompting residents to flee for higher ground. Twenty-five people have been confirmed dead in what officials are describing as unprecedented flooding for the region — and the death toll is expected to rise as crews gain more access to currently impassable areas, Gov. Andy Beshir said. “There are still so many people missing,” Beshear told CNN on Saturday. “It’s going to get worse.” Officials believe thousands have been affected and efforts to rebuild some areas could take years, the governor said. The state’s estimated losses are potentially in the “tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars,” Beshear noted Saturday. After the rain, extreme heat is expected to set in the region on Tuesday as many people are currently struggling without access to clean drinking water, power outages and mobile phone service in some counties on Saturday. More than 10,000 homes and businesses in the area were in the dark early Sunday, according to PowerOutage.us. three drinking water systems were completely out of service Saturday, the governor said. “The water is still high in some counties. It’s crested in most, but not all. Water systems are overwhelmed. So either there’s no water or it’s unsafe water, you have to boil,” Beshear said. The federal government has sent tractor-trailers of bottled water to the region, and more financial aid is on the way. The floods — like other recent weather disasters — were further amplified by the climate crisis: As global temperatures rise as a result of man-made fossil fuel emissions, the atmosphere is able to hold more water, making water vapor more abundantly available Scientists they are increasingly certain of the role the climate crisis is playing in extreme weather and have warned that such events will become more intense and more dangerous with every fraction of a degree of warming.
The “Hero” saved the family from the flooded house
Among the stories of heroism emerging from the disaster is an unidentified man who waded through fast-moving waters to pull a 98-year-old grandmother, her grandson and another family member from their home as it was nearly swallowed by floodwaters. Thursday. Randy Polley, who witnessed the rescue in Whitesburg, Kentucky, and recorded parts of it on his cell phone, told CNN he got stuck far from home on his way to get gas Thursday morning. Polley said he heard people yelling across the flooded street, “Get me help, get help.” He called 911, but first responders were overwhelmed and did not respond to his calls. Around 9 a.m., she saw a man she described as a hero wander into the house and start banging on the door and window. The man eventually helped three people out of the house and led them into rushing water, the videos show. The rescue took about 30 minutes, Polly said. Missy Crovetti, who lives in Green Oaks, Illinois, told CNN that the rescued people in the video are her grandmother Mae Amburgey, her uncle Larry Amburgey and brother Gregory Amburgey. They are safe and doing well, he said. Crovetti said she does not know the name of the man who saved her family. Polly also said she doesn’t know the man’s name.
Financial aid ongoing
Officials moved quickly to approve financial aid given the number of people who need relief after losing everything. The federal government has given the go-ahead for funding for people in five counties “at a rate we’ve never seen before,” Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman told CNN’s Pamela Brown on Saturday. “Residents will actually get immediate payments, which is very good news in a very long tunnel to see the light,” Coleman said. Coleman did not give an exact date for when those payments are expected to reach residents, though she said they will be dispersed once the state receives the money. In addition, nearly $700,000 has been raised for relief efforts, Beshear said Saturday. He noted that the funeral expenses of those who died in the floods will be paid. “We appreciate making sure these loved ones can be reunited with their family members and making sure these people are able to have a proper funeral for their loved ones,” Coleman said. Additionally, the state is prioritizing generators in shelters for flood survivors as temperatures are expected to soar on Tuesday after the rain. CNN’s Sharif Paget, Gene Norman, Derek Van Dam, Haley Brink Jalen Beckford, Angela Fritz and Raja Razek contributed to this report.
