Winter storms caused flooding and power outages in Kentucky, leading to 14 deaths. The state is bracing for more severe weather Tuesday.

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

U.S.

Flooding, extreme cold claim 14 lives in Kentucky as FEMA aid arrives

Feb 18

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Kalé Carey (Reporter), Joey Nunez (Video Editor)

Winter storms over the weekend caused widespread flooding and power outages in Kentucky, increasing the death toll to 14. The majority of deaths have been linked to the flooding.
Kentucky’s dispatch system received thousands of calls for help as rising waters left people stranded or trapped.
Following a disaster declaration by Gov. Andy Beshear, FEMA began coordinating relief within the state.

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Winter storms swept through the nation over the weekend, leaving flood-stricken Kentucky without power and a death toll attributed to the weather events that continues to climb. The state’s death toll now sits at 14, the majority of which are a result of widespread flooding across the state.

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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Tuesday, Feb. 18, said that two more people, most likely experiencing homelessness, died from hypothermia.

Beshear urged residents to remain vigilant as dangerous weather conditions continue to affect communities. He said, “That should tell all of us that the weather conditions are as dangerous as that water is.”

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State responds to mounting crisis

On Saturday, Feb. 15, Kentucky’s dispatch system fielded nearly 10,000 calls for assistance, with many residents stranded on washed-out roads or trapped in rising water. The Kentucky National Guard, alongside state police, conducted more than 800 response missions, evacuating 296 people in the process.

In the aftermath of the storm, Beshear noted significant damage to homes and businesses.

With additional storms forecasted, the state’s response efforts are now shifting to removing debris, clearing roads and delivering supplies to impacted communities. Beshear also urged residents to stay home, as arctic temperatures will likely complicate the recovery process.

Relief efforts underway across Kentucky

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has begun coordinating relief efforts in Kentucky after the governor declared a disaster emergency. The state has crews on standby to clear highways blocked by standing water, but snowplows cannot reach certain areas due to the flooding.

While most communities are still powered, over 1,500 homes remain without electricity.

As the storm system moves east, the National Weather Service has issued winter weather alerts for millions nationwide, from Kansas to North Carolina. The storm is expected to bring heavy winds and snow, further complicating recovery efforts.

Tags: Air National Guard, Andy Beshear, FEMA, flooding, Kentucky, National Guard, National Weather Service, Snowstorm, Winter, Winter Storm

[Lauren Taylor]

WINTER STORMS SWEPT THROUGH THE NATION OVER THE WEEKEND, LEAVING FLOOD-STRICKEN KENTUCKY WITHOUT POWER AND INCREASING THE DEATH TOLL ATTRIBUTED TO WEATHER EVENTS..

COMMUNITIES ALREADY BURDENED WITH SNOW ARE BRACING FOR MORE, WITH TWO TO SIX INCHES EXPECTED FROM TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING, AND UP TO EIGHT IN SOME AREAS, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR REPORTS TWO MORE PEOPLE, MOST LIKELY EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, DIED FROM HYPOTHERMIA, BRINGING THE DEATH TOLL TO 14. THE MAJORITY OF STATEWIDE DEATHS ARE A RESULT OF FLOODING ACROSS KENTUCKY.

(Beshear: “That should tell all of us that the weather conditions are as dangerous as that water is.”)

THE STATE’S DISPATCH SYSTEM RECEIVED CLOSE TO 10,000 CALLS ON SATURDAY, WITH PEOPLE STRANDED ON WASHED OUT ROADS OR TRAPPED IN RISING WATER.

THE KENTUCKY NATIONAL GUARD WORKED WITH STATE POLICE ON MORE THAN 800 RESPONSE MISSIONS TO EVACUATE 296 PEOPLE.

IN THE WAKE OF A NEW STORM, BESHEAR SAYS OFFICIALS ARE SHIFTING EFFORTS TO REMOVE DEBRIS, CLEARING ROADS AND TRANSPORT SUPPLIES TO IMPACT COMMUNITIES.

WITH THE THREAT STILL PRESENT AND ARTIC TEMPERATURES ON THE WAY, GOVERNOR BESHEAR URGES RESIDENTS TO STAY HOME AND BE WEATHER AWARE AS THE STATE WORKS TO RECOVER.

THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAID HE REQUESTED INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO HELP FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES REBUILD.

(Beshear: “Significant damage to homes, the inside of homes, so many people having lost just about everything on the first floor. Businesses that had six to eight feet of water through them.”)

FEMA IS ALREADY COORDINATING WITH OFFICIALS ON RELIEF EFFORTS IN KENTUCKY AFTER A DISASTER WAS DECLARED BY THE GOVERNOR.

THAT STANDING WATER MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR SNOW PLOWS TO GET THROUGH, BUT THE STATE HAS CREWS ON STANDBY TO CLEAR HIGHWAYS.

WHILE POWER REMAINS INTACT FOR MOST COMMUNITIES, MORE THAN 15 HUNDRED ARE IN THE DARK.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE UNDER WINTER WEATHER ALERTS FROM KANSAS ALL THE WAY TO NORTH CAROLINA WITH THE STORM SYSTEM BRINGING HEAVY WIND AND SNOW.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR

Flooding, extreme cold claim 14 lives in Kentucky as FEMA aid arrives

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