Flash flooding caused by torrential rains has killed at least 15 people in eastern Kentucky and the death toll is expected to double, the US state's governor said Friday.
"It is devastating. Our number of Kentuckians we've lost is now at 15, expected to more than double. And it's going to include some children," Governor Andy Beshear told CNN.
Beshear also said in a video on Twitter that 23,000 homes and businesses were without power. "This situation is ongoing. We are still in the search and rescue mode."
Flood warnings and watches remained in effect throughout the day for the eastern half of the state as well as northeast Tennessee and western West Virginia, where more rainfall was expected to swell waterways that were already well above their flood stages, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
Rivers across the region were expected to crest on Friday and throughout the weekend while a risk of more dangerous flash flooding remained possible again throughout the day, the NWS said.
