(Editor’s note: Governor Beshear plans to provide an update on the weather and state’s response on Monday morning. The news conferences will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.)
By Sarah Ladd
Kentucky Lantern
A Frankfort boy is dead after being swept away by floodwaters as storm-battered Kentucky braces for more dangerous weather over this weekend.
Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday the child’s death while walking to his school bus stop in Kentucky’s capital city “sadly underscores just how dangerous the flood waters can be.”
“My heart breaks for the family,” Beshear said while on a Zoom call with journalists Friday afternoon.
Franklin County officials said Gabriel Andrews, 9, was walking to the school bus stop when he was caught in the water around 6:35 a.m. in the Hickory Hills area. He was recovered around 8:45 a.m. about a half-mile from where he was reportedly swept away, according to the coroner’s office.
More bad weather — flooding, tornadoes, wind and hail — made a wide sweep across the state.
“We need everyone to understand that all water poses risk right now,” Beshear said. “Take every precaution. That includes never driving through standing water, even if you think you know how deep it is.”
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has approved the state’s request for an emergency declaration.
“This is going to give us access to crucial federal support we need to help our people, and I want to thank the president,” Beshear said. “He has been responsive in every request we’ve made in a natural disaster, and his people have been supportive, professional and we’re grateful for them.”
By the numbers
About 3,823 people were without power Friday afternoon and 300 roads are closed, a number that Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray said will increase.
About 300 Kentucky National Guard members are either on weather-releated missions or ready for missions, as needed.
Four urban search and rescue teams are ready to search for people, though there are currently no reports of missing Kentuckians, according to Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson.
The state has a call center set up for Kentucky Emergency Management: 502-607-6665.
“At best, we’re halfway through this,” Gray said Friday afternoon. “One thing I want to really punctuate is that there are some places and some roads that we are not accustomed to seeing flooding on. Be prepared: it might occur on those roads.”
Recovery will take a long time, Gibson said.
“There is a serious flooding event still to come,” he said. “It’s going to be a long-duration event that’s going to take several days to see this water recede.”
In Paducah
The worst of the multi-day storm is headed for West and Western Kentucky. Paducah was under a flood warning until Sunday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
In Louisville
Louisville was also under flood and flash flood warnings through Sunday and the Ohio River is expected to rise, peaking at 68 feet on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. For context, a week prior on April 1, the river was at 24 feet, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Safety tips
• Find shelter during the storm. Have a plan to go somewhere safe if you need to.
• Do not drive through standing water.
• Never move a barricade meant to keep you out of standing water on the roadway.
• Keep a flashlight, shoes and cell phone near your bed while you sleep. Make sure your phone is charged and weather alerts are turned on.
• During a tornado, get as low as possible — the lowest room in the home, under a table. Get under something heavy and sturdy to protect yourself from debris.
• During a tornado, stay away from windows and doors.
• Make sure weather alerts and other safety alerts are turned on so you get them on your cell phone.
• Don’t walk through floodwaters. Floodwaters can contain dangerous debris and sewage.
This story was first published in The Kentucky Lantern and is republished here under Creative Commons license. The Lantern is a nonprofit news organization and part of States Newsroom.