Gov. Andy Beshear provided an update on severe weather recovery and recognized those helping with storm and flood recovery as Team Kentucky All-Stars.
Beshear provided an update on the severe weather that’s brought historic flooding to many parts of the state. He said that, unfortunately, the number of fatalities due to floodwaters has increased to six Kentuckians.
Wednesday, the Governor announced the death of a man in Bullitt County and the death of a man in Carroll County was confirmed today. Those who want to help can donate to the Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund here. The fund will first pay for the funerals of all those lost.
“River and creek levels have gone down, but let’s remember that this is still a dangerous threat. We don’t want to lose anyone else to floodwaters,” said Gov. Beshear. “That means everyone needs to continue to take the threat seriously and never drive through standing water.”
Over 70 Kentucky counties have declared states of emergency. On April 2, the Governor declared a state of emergency ahead of the first round of severe storms. On April 4, President Donald Trump approved Gov. Beshear’s request for an emergency disaster declaration for Kentucky.
The Governor toured flooding damage in Louisville and tornado damage in Jeffersontown on Wednesday. As of 9 a.m. Thursday, a reported 2,523 customers were without power, roughly 775 customers were without water, 3,521 customers were under Boil Water Advisories, three water systems were offline and 18 systems were under limited operations.
The Governor stressed that anyone helping with flood clean up needs to be up to date on their tetanus and hepatitis A vaccines, as debris in floodwaters poses dangers. You can go to your local health department and request a vaccine if needed.
The Kentucky State Police continue to assist local law enforcement and first responders in multiple post areas with wellness checks and night security patrols to prevent looting.
All driver testing offices are open and operating today.
As of 9 a.m. Thursday, 353 state roadways were closed, 341 by high water and 12 by mudslides or rockslides. This is down from more than 550 roads closed at the peak of the flood.
Bridge inspections and highway damage assessments are under way: 85 bridges have been inspected, 4 with issues, including on KY 1462 in Marshall County and Tim Road bridge in Graves County.
Not all rivers have crested, and state highway crews continue to place barricades, help people detour around high water and clear roads of mudslides and debris while making repairs where possible. For your safety, do not pass barricades, signs or cones. Do not drive through standing water.
For a full list of state highway closures and detours, visit GoKy.ky.gov.
The Governor said the Commonwealth will be submitting the application for individual assistance to the federal government. General Butler State Resort Park is sheltering 112 people. Those with non-life-threatening needs can call the Emergency Management line at 502-607-6665 or visit kyem.ky.gov for assistance.