LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday afternoon at least nine Kentuckians have died since severe weather hit the state Saturday.

"We believe this number is going to grow," Beshear said at a press conference. "We hope it doesn't grow quickly or grow much larger but one way you can help us out to ensure we have as few fatalities as possible is don't get on the roadways. Give time for the water to go down. So many of these fatalities were due to attempts to drive through water and through moving water."

Beshear said there have been around 1,000 rescues due to flooding since storms hit Kentucky. Beshear said it is one of the most serious weather events the state has dealt with in the past decade.

At least three Kentuckians have died after flooding, mudslides and snow.

"Where we are right now is in the emergency response phase, this is the search and rescue phase," Beshear said. "This emergency phase we are in will last at least a couple more days. That's the type of event we are dealing with."

Beshear said all 120 counties have been hit by the severe weather. 

"This biggest challenge of this event is it is everywhere," Beshear said.

The confirmed fatalities, many involving flooding-related issues include:

  • Man in Hart County 
  • 3 men in Pike County
  • Woman in Hart County
  • 7-year-old child in Hart County
  • Woman in Washington County
  • Man in Clay County
  • Person in Nelson County

Emergency crews expect power outages due to the wind and potential for trees to fall.

People should only call 911 when there is a life-threatening situation, according to Beshear. 

"If you have immediate needs but they're not life-threatening, don't call 911, complete the rapid assessment form or call the following number (502) 607-6665," Beshear said. "This is when you have needs that include your power being out, no heat, individuals with medical needs or disabilities that are not life-threatening. If you're worried about the amount of food you have or what you're going to cook, you call this number."

The Kentucky National Guard has 146 soldiers and airmen actively responding to the ongoing emergency in at least 16 counties. 

State officials and local police are encouraging people to stay off the roads.

"Avoid driving on covered roadways, that's where we're losing the most people. Stay off the roads, if you hit water, turn around," Beshear said. "It's not worth dying. It can wait."

Much of the U.S. faced another round of biting winter weather Sunday, with torrential rains causing intense flooding in Kentucky and resulting in at least four deaths in the Southeast. The Northern Plains faced life-threatening cold, and tornado watches were issued for parts of Georgia and Florida.

A mother and her 7-year-old child were killed in Kentucky when the car they were in was swept away by flood waters in Hart County near Interstate 65, a county official told WBKO-TV. Hart County Coroner Tony Roberts said the two were swept away Saturday night in the Bonnieville community. In southeastern Kentucky, a 73-year-old man was found dead in floodwaters in Clay County, County Emergency Management Deputy Director Revelle Berry said.

Beshear said Sunday that President Trump had approved his request for disaster relief funding.

Parts of Kentucky and Tennessee received up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain during the weekend storms, said Bob Oravec, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service.

“The effects will continue for awhile, a lot of swollen streams and a lot of flooding going on,” Oravec said Sunday. “Any time there’s flooding, the flooding can last a lot longer than the rain lasts.”

Water submerged cars and buildings in Kentucky and mudslides blocked roads in Virginia late Saturday into Sunday. Both of the states were under flood warnings, along with Tennessee and Arkansas. The National Weather Service warned residents to stay off the roads.

Chilly temperatures replaced the heavy rains with snow early Sunday morning in parts of Kentucky.

Beshear preemptively declared a state of emergency in Kentucky ahead of the storms, where flash flooding was expected into Sunday.

“Widespread flooding is continuing,” Beshear said in a social media post Sunday morning. He said evacuations of people in flooded areas were continuing on Sunday.

The Kentucky River Medical Center in the city of Jackson said closed its emergency department and was transferring all patients to two other hospitals in the region. The hospital said it would re-evaluate conditions Sunday morning to determine when it can safely reopen. The north fork of the Kentucky River was forecast to crest nearly 14 feet (4.3 meters) above flood stage that afternoon, the weather service said.

Photos posted by authorities and residents on social media showed cars and buildings underwater in south-central and eastern Kentucky.

The Simpson County Office of Emergency Management in Kentucky said authorities performed several rescues from stalled-out vehicles in floodwaters.

“Stay home if you can,” the office said on Facebook.

Related Stories:

Copyright 2025 WDRB Media. The Associated Press contributed to this report.  All Rights Reserved.