Eastern Ky. 'experiencing one of the worst, most devastating flooding events in Kentucky's history,' governor says

Video by Ryan C. Hermens, Lexington Herald-Leader

At least three eight 16 25 people have died and hundreds have lost their homes as repeated rains filled the hollows and valleys of Eastern Kentucky, and many more deaths are expected. So is more rain.

Gov. Andy Beshear called it “one of the worst, most devastating flooding events in Kentucky’s history.” In an 11:30 a.m. news release, he said “The situation is dynamic and ongoing. In most places we are not seeing receding water – in fact, in most places it has not crested.”

Map by The Washington Post from NOAA data

At a 12:30 p.m. press conference, Beshear said three deaths had been confirmed. Two deaths were in Perry County, where Sheriff Joe Engle told the Lexington Herald-Leader, “We are having a very difficult time getting to people. Roads are blocked by trees, washed away completely or covered with water. It is now physically impossible to get to some people.”

Beshear said, "We have some people in trees, hanging on, waiting for rescue." His earlier news release said people are stranded on roofs, some teachers were stranded at a school, and "There are a number of people unaccounted for."

Beshear declared a statewide state of emergency and at least six counties declared local emergencies: Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Letcher, Owsley and Pike. More than 23,000 households were without electricity, and water systems were disrupted in several counties. Some areas reported as much as six inches of rain yesterday and Beshear said two to three inches may fall in places tonight. UPDATE: Lexington's WKYT-TV reported that almost 13 inches had fallen at Buckhorn, on the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River, and more than 12 inches at Hazard, on the North Fork, since Monday night.

Upstream, parts of Wise County, Virginia, bordering Kentucky also flooded. Part of a local front page: