Eight dead in Kentucky floods; toll expected to rise

Catastrophic flooding in rain-battered eastern Kentucky has killed at least eight people, and the death toll is almost certain to rise, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday.

“This is by far the worst flooding disaster at least of my lifetime in Kentucky,” Beshear said after the region received an estimated 8 to 12 inches of rain overnight, prompting him to declare a state of emergency.

Property loss
“What we’re going to see coming out of this is massive property damage,” he said. 

“We expect the loss of life. Hundreds will lose their homes and this is going to be yet another event that is going to take not months but likely years for many families to rebuild and recover from.”

Flood alert
Some 4 million people remain under flood alerts across Kentucky, southern Ohio, West Virginia and southwestern Virginia.