Governor Calls in the Feds – More Than 20 People Dead!
(NewsReady.com) – Eastern Kentucky was hit by deadly floods last week, and many homes were demolished. At least 30 people have died, with more lives at risk. Now, the state’s governor is calling for federal help.
Today, Gov. Andy Beshear opened an online portal for donations to flood victims at https://t.co/4JFUHvAEku. The website will allow Kentuckians once again to help their neighbors in a time of desperate need.
Read more: https://t.co/5ASRJyCsQp pic.twitter.com/2QXXVVQCqk
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) July 28, 2022
Early on July 28, the Appalachian region of Kentucky was hit by freak heavy rain, with some areas getting around six inches. Runoff from the hills quickly swelled the Kentucky River, which burst its banks and flooded nearby homes. Many residents were forced to shelter on higher ground as the floodwaters rose.
State Governor Andy Beshear (D) told reporters that up to 30 people had been rescued by helicopters, while the National Guard had used Zodiac boats in the most hazardous areas.
Around 23,000 homes lost power in the flood, which also knocked out phone, internet, and freshwater supplies. Beshear announced a state of emergency and requested federal assistance from President Joe Biden; that assistance included truckloads of water for affected homes. The state also launched the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund to help residents, but Beshear says the damage is “enormous” and federal help will be needed to recover from it.
Early reports said eight people had died in the flooding. However, by Monday morning, Beshear said the total had now risen to 30 and was likely to climb higher as rescue efforts continued.
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