Gov. Beshear calls state of emergency after overnight flooding in Western Kentucky
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Gov. Andy Beshear has called a state of emergency in Western Kentucky after overnight rain that rolled through the region led to flash flooding in some areas.
No deaths have been reported, Beshear said in a press conference at 1:30 p.m. EDT, and no one has been reported missing at this time. But the state of emergency, put in place along with Kentucky's price gouging laws, will allow a more broad response to the flooding.
According to the National Weather Service of Paducah, a flash flood warning is in effect until 5 p.m. CDT Thursday in portions of Ballard, Carlisle, Graves and Hickman counties. It also includes portions of Southern Illinois and Southeastern Missouri.
Between 6 and 8 inches of rain fell in the area before 8 a.m., according to the weather agency, with 2 to 4 more inches expected. Areas affected include Mayfield, Wingo, Fancy Farm, Beulah, Dublin, and surrounding rural areas.
Please pray for Mayfield and areas of Western Kentucky impacted by significant flooding from last night's storms. We're working to assess the damage and respond. Just like every challenge we've faced, we will be there for all those affected. We will get through this together. ^AB
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) July 19, 2023
Water levels in most areas were "slowly receding overall" just before noon, a National Weather Service alert said, but many roads were still covered with water at that time.
Chris Bailey, a meteorologist with WKYT, said more than 11 inches of rain had fallen in 24 hours in Mayfield, which would set a new state record.
BREAKING: Mayfield has picked up 10.81" of rain (and still rising) within the last 24 hours. This breaks the official 24-hour Kentucky rainfall record set on March 1, 1997, when Louisville picked up 10.48" of rain. #kywx
— Chris Bailey (@Kentuckyweather) July 19, 2023
Beshear said wet weather is expected to remain in the state throughout the day, with up to 2 more inches of rain expected in the afternoon. There have not been any requests for state assistance at this time, he said, but officials are prepared to respond if the situation becomes too much for local first responders to handle.
While no deaths have been reported, Beshear said some homes in Western Kentucky were submerged by water, leading to rescues by responding crews. Damage was reported in Ballard, Calloway, Caldwell, Fulton, Graves and McCracken counties, he said, and in Eastern Kentucky, counties including Lee and Estill had been affected.
His House Ministries has opened its doors at 1250 KY-303 in Mayfield as a temporary shelter, the organization and the Graves County Sheriff's Office.
Mayfield was hit hard by a tornado in December 2021, which caused widespread damage and killed at least 24 people in Graves County alone.
Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky flooding: Beshear calls state of emergency amid heavy rain