At Least 8 People Dead, Including a Mom and Her Young Child, in ‘Severe’ Kentucky Storm

At least eight people have died amid a severe storm that swept through Kentucky over the weekend, leaving flooding in its wake.

Among the deaths were a mother and her 7-year-old child, according to local news station WBKO-TV and the Associated Press. Authorities said the pair were killed when the car they were in was carried away by flood waters in Hart County.

The AP reported that Hart County Coroner Tony Roberts confirmed the mother and child were swept away on the night of Saturday, Feb. 15, in the rural unincorporated community of Bonnieville.

“I’m heartbroken to share we’ve lost at least 8 people to this storm, each one a child of God who is loved by so many. Please join Britainy and me as we pray for these families,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear wrote in a social media statement on Sunday, Feb. 16, referencing himself and his wife. “And remember, the severe weather continues. Let’s do everything we can to protect our people.”

Gov. Beshear said at a press conference on Feb. 16 that two adults and one child were killed in Hart County, along with two adults in Pike County and one adult in Washington County, WBKO-TV reported. The politician also told CNN in an interview that the death count may still rise, and the AP reported on Feb. 16 that a ninth person had been reported dead.

Beshear also said during his press conference that rescue operations were underway around the state, and many of them involved rescuing people stranded in flooded areas, per the AP.

According to CNN, more than 1,000 rescue operations have been performed in the past day, and Beshear described the storm as “one of the most serious weather events we’ve dealt with in at least a decade.”

The storm, which passed through Kentucky early on Feb. 15 and gained momentum as the day went on, per CNN, caused historic levels of flooding and about six inches of rain.

The AP also reported that power was knocked out for about 39,000 homes. Beshear warned during the press conference that harsh winds in some areas could increase outages, per the AP.

The governor declared a state of emergency in Kentucky ahead of the storm on Feb. 14. Beshear later thanked President Donald Trump in a social media post on Feb. 16 for approving a federal disaster declaration, which will make federal funding available to impacted areas of the state.

Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson told CNN on Feb. 16 that the severe weather event would probably “continue for several more days.”

Beshear has since urged Kentucky residents to stay off flooded roadways. “So folks, stay off the roads right now and stay alive,” the governor said. “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.”