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Death toll in Kentucky floods rises to 25, governor says

US Materials 30 July 2022 22:58 (UTC +04:00)
Death toll in Kentucky floods rises to 25, governor says

At least 25 people, including four children, have died in floods unleashed by torrential rains in eastern Kentucky, and more fatalities are expected, the state's governor Andy Beshear said on Saturday, Trend reports citing Reuters.

"This is still an emergency situation," Beshear told reporters. "We are in search and rescue mode. Again, that count is going to continue to go up."

A flooded area is flown over by a Kentucky National Guard helicopter deployed in response to a declared state of emergency in eastern Kentucky, U.S. July 27, 2022. U.S. Army National Guard/Handout via REUTERS

Heavy rains of 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 cm) pounded the region from Wednesday into Thursday, sweeping through homes, washing out roads and pushing rivers over their banks. While the region's steep hillsides and narrow valleys make it prone to flooding, experts are also blaming climate change.

The floods were the second major national disaster to strike Kentucky in seven months, following a swarm of tornadoes that claimed nearly 80 lives in the western part of the state in December.

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