LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said two people died this week in Louisville related to the cold temperatures, bringing the statewide death toll from the weekend weather disaster to 14 people.
Beshear said a man and a woman — both believed to be homeless — died from what appears to be hypothermia in Jefferson County. He urged Kentuckians to have a plan as the temperatures continue to drop and more winter weather heads our way.
"That should tell all of us that the weather conditions are as dangerous as that water is," Beshear said during a news conference Tuesday in Frankfort. "I hope all Kentuckians will be prepared, especially if they do not have power or it's not safe to heat their home because of the damage."
The confirmed fatalities statewide, many involving flooding-related issues include:
- One man in Hart County
- Three men in Pike County
- One woman in Hart County
- One 7-year-old child in Hart County
- One woman in Washington County
- One man in Clay County
- One person in Nelson County
- One man in Floyd County
- One man in Hardin County
- One man in Jefferson County
- One woman in Jefferson County
Beshear said the Kentucky National Guard is now transitioning from life-saving missions to recovery efforts across the state. They'll be focused on debris removal, transporting supplies and clearing roads.
While their names have not been released and little is known at this point about the exact situations involving the two deaths in Louisville, a local outreach worker said even during White Flag conditions people are still on the streets.
"On any given night, you can assume there's probably 500-800 people that are sleeping unsheltered somewhere in Jefferson County," said David Smillie, executive director of Louisville Outreach for the Unsheltered.
Smillie said some people are unable to go into a shelter for various reasons and others don't want to go, either not feeling safe or uncomfortable with the shelter itself or fearing anything they leave outside could be gone when they return.
"So you come back to nothing," he said.
He's pushing for more shelter options in the city with lower barriers, additional shelters spread throughout the county, and said the shelter setting should avoid the traditional congregate layout.
"We need to be forward-thinking and we need to start to accept all models for solutions," Smillie said.
Beshear preemptively declared a state of emergency in Kentucky ahead of the storms, where flash flooding occurred over weekend. President Trump had approved his request for disaster relief funding.
State officials and local police are encouraging people to stay off the roads. Because, on top of the flooding, Kentucky is expecting more snow later this week, which Beshear said is only going to complicate things.
"Water that's out there — we still have a lot — can freeze," he said. "We're going to see black ice in difference places during both the days and nights and how cold it's going to get."
(Photo courtesy of Gov. Andy Beshear's Office)
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