LOUISVILLE (AP) – Heavy rains and dangerous flooding struck the Southeast United States (US) as much of the East endured a renewed round of harsh, soggy weather, with at least one fatality reported in Kentucky.
A man was found dead in floodwaters in Clay County, Kentucky, WKYT-TV reported. Clay County Emergency Management officials did not immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press seeking additional information.
Water submerged cars and buildings in Kentucky and mudslides blocked roads in Virginia. Both of the states were under flood warnings, along with Tennessee and Arkansas. The National Weather Service warned residents to stay off the roads.
Forecasters also predicted weekend snowstorms in the Northeast and the threat of tornadoes for the Mississippi Valley.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey issued a state of emergency in 10 southern counties due to heavy rains and flooding, allowing the state to use its resources to help local authorities.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear pre-emptively declared a state of emergency in Kentucky, where flash flooding was expected. Flash flooding hit some roads in Bowling Green and parts of western Kentucky could face up to 20.3 centimetres (cm) of rain.
“We want to specifically put assets in places that flood and have flooded in the past,” Beshear said on social media.
Beshear later used social media to update residents on areas in danger of flooding, including Jackson County, and said Kentucky State Police officers were performing wellness checks while shelters were opening in Pike County and Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in Prestonsburg.
Beshear said in a post that he had written to the White House requesting an emergency disaster declaration and federal funds for impacted areas.
The Kentucky River Medical Center in the city of Jackson said it closed its emergency department and was transferring all patients to two other hospitals in the region.
The hospital said it would re-evaluate conditions to determine when it can safely reopen.
The north fork of the Kentucky River was forecast to crest nearly 4.3 metres above flood stage that afternoon, the weather service said.
Photos posted by authorities and residents on social media showed cars and buildings underwater in south-central and eastern Kentucky. In Buchanan County, Virginia, the sheriff’s office said multiple roads were blocked by mudslides.
The Simpson County Office of Emergency Management in Kentucky said authorities performed several rescues from stalled-out vehicles in floodwaters.
“Stay home if you can,” the office said on Facebook.
Flash flooding was possible in the Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio valleys, the weather service said. In Tennessee, flash flood warnings were issued for much of the middle of the state through the evening.
The National Weather Service called the expected rain a “major, potentially historic, flash flood event.” Meanwhile heavy snow was expected to blanket much of New England and then transition to sleet, making travel nearly impossible. The heaviest accumulations, possibly 30.5cm or more, were expected in upstate New York and portions of northern New England.
“Ice accumulations up to a quarter inch are forecast for some areas, making driving conditions dangerous. Heavy icing in some locations may result in downed trees and power outages,” the weather service warned.
Snow and arctic temperatures swept much of the Midwest and Upper Plains, covering roads in eastern Nebraska, northern Iowa and much of Wisconsin.
Winter weather advisories were issued for parts of those states and Michigan, with up to 10.6cm of snow predicted throughout Iowa, southern Wisconsin and most of Michigan.
