A mother and her 7-year-old daughter are among at least a dozen people dead in Kentucky after severe flooding struck the state, officials said on Sunday.
The mother and child were swept away Saturday night in Kentucky’s Bonnieville community after their vehicle was completely submerged in floodwater, Hart County Coroner Tony Roberts said.
Roberts said the child’s body was recovered later Saturday night, while Hart County Search and Rescue said the mother’s body was recovered Sunday afternoon, WNKY-TV reported. The identities of the mother and child were not immediately released.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear provided a grim update on the flooding Monday evening.
SOUTHEAST MET WITH DANGEROUS FLOODING WHILE NORTHEAST BRACES FOR SNOWSTORMS
Cars sit in floodwaters at a railroad underpass in Louisville, Kentucky, on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
“I’ve got more tough news. The death toll in Kentucky has now risen to 12,” the governor said. “WE must remember, this isn’t just a number — these are Kentuckians who will be missed by their families and loved ones. Please pray for our commonwealth and our neighbors who have lost people they love.”
Beshear said most of the deaths in Kentucky were caused by cars getting stuck in high water.
“So folks, stay off the roads right now and stay alive,” he said on Sunday. “This is the search and rescue phase, and I am very proud of all the Kentuckians that are out there responding, putting their lives on the line.”
Beshear said that most of the deaths in Kentucky were caused by cars getting stuck in high water. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)
Beshear said there have been 1,000 rescues across the state since the storms began Saturday. The storms knocked out power to about 39,000 homes, but Beshear warned that harsh winds in some areas could increase outages.
Parts of Kentucky and Tennessee received up to 6 inches of rain, said Bob Oravec, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service.
HIKERS ON TALLEST MOUNTAIN IN NORTHEAST RESCUED FROM WHITEOUT SNOWSTORM AT 5,000 FEET
A road is closed due to flooding in Louisville, Kentucky, on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Photos posted by authorities and residents on social media showed cars and buildings underwater in south-central and eastern Kentucky.
President Donald Trump approved the state’s request for a disaster declaration, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate relief efforts throughout the state.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.