Deadly widespread flooding across Kentucky on Saturday led to dozens of rescues, washed away bridges and flooded roads. More heavy rain is expected after the governor declared a state of emergency to bring in more resources.
Gov. Andy Beshear said at least one driver who was swept away by the flash floods was killed and there could be “multiple fatalities” from the flooding, but the number was unknown as search and rescue efforts continued.
Six to seven inches of rain fell in some parts of the state, with a second round of rain expected to increase as the evening progresses, the governor said, urging people to be cautious and avoid unnecessary driving.
“It gets worse after dark, so if possible, don’t drive after dark,” Beshear says.
The severe weather is the latest in a history of catastrophic flooding in Kentucky, including deadly flash floods in early 2025 when more than a month of rain inundated much of the state in less than 24 hours. In 2022, an unprecedented flood killed dozens of people in Kentucky after their homes were submerged and some were swept off their foundations.
Precautionary evacuations are in place in parts of Bullitt County that were particularly hard hit by Saturday’s flooding, as authorities closely monitor dams.
Landslides have occurred on parts of the levee, but the dam is holding up and there are no signs of “imminent failure,” county emergency management officials said.
Miron Church in Richmond appears to have collapsed, video showed. Earlier in the day, the church announced that Saturday’s services were canceled due to the storm, adding, “We hope everyone is safe.”
Photos provided by Richmond police show officers blocking flooded roads and checking stranded vehicles that were almost completely submerged by rising waters.
The governor also said “critical roads” were under water in Madison County, and five search and rescue teams were on the scene.
Five counties have declared a local state of emergency, including Bullitt, Madison, Meade, Mercer and Spencer, according to the governor’s office.
CNN has reached out to these five counties under local states of emergency for more information about the impact of the flooding.
At least 12 roads in the state were flooded and impassable, and numerous bridges in counties such as Jessamine were “completely washed away,” the governor said.
Dozens of people have been rescued so far, Beshear said. He added that state emergency management, state police and rapid water rescue teams were responding to emergency calls in the community.
“We know that at least some Kentuckians have already died, and we don’t want to lose any more,” he said, adding that the storm was “much more severe than most expected.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
