Rising Rivers Inundate Southern Towns in the U.S. Following Extended Rainfall

FRANKFORT, Ky.—Continuous heavy rains have caused rivers to rise to near-record levels throughout Kentucky as of Monday, submerging various neighborhoods and posing a significant threat to a well-known bourbon distillery in the state capital.

The swollen rivers represent the latest danger from ongoing storms that have claimed at least 23 lives since last week, dumping heavy rain across the region and generating destructive tornadoes. A preliminary report from the National Weather Service indicated that at least 157 tornadoes occurred over a seven-day period beginning March 30. While the storms have moved on, flood risks continue to loom in several surrounding states, including parts of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Indiana.

Evacuations have been ordered in several cities, and rescue teams using inflatable boats are checking on residents in Kentucky and Tennessee. Meanwhile, utilities have suspended power and gas services across a stretch from Texas to Ohio. Floodwaters have also led to the closure of the historic Buffalo Trace Distillery, located near the flooded Kentucky River in downtown Frankfort.

Jessica Tuggle, a salon owner, observed as murky brown waters encroached upon her Frankfort business. She and her friends relocated her salon equipment to a nearby taproom.

“Everyone was just saying, ‘Stop raining, stop raining,’ hoping to gauge the worst-case scenario,” she recounted.

In Frankfort, officials redirected traffic, cut off utilities to businesses, and imposed a curfew as the river crested just below a record level on Monday. According to Gov. Andy Beshear, more than 500 state roads across Kentucky remained closed Monday evening.

Ashley Welsh, along with her husband, four children, and pets, were forced to evacuate their Frankfort home by the river on Saturday evening, leaving behind a lifetime’s worth of belongings.

When she checked the cameras in her home on Sunday morning, she found the floodwaters had reached the second floor.

“My belongings were floating in the living room,” Welsh shared, expressing her heartbreak. “Our life is up there.”

Storms Leaving Behind Devastation

Since the storms began on Wednesday, 23 fatalities have been reported, including 10 in Tennessee. In Kentucky, among the four confirmed deaths, a 9-year-old was swept away by floodwaters while trying to reach his school bus.

A 5-year-old boy in Arkansas died when a tree fell on his family’s home, according to police reports. Additionally, a man was discovered dead in a submerged vehicle, as stated by the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management.

A 16-year-old volunteer firefighter in Missouri lost his life in a crash while attempting to rescue individuals affected by the storm. In Carroll County, Tennessee, a lineman from the electrical department perished while working during the storms, according to state emergency management officials.

Two men, a father and son, were tragically killed when a tree fell on their golf cart at a Columbus, Georgia golf course, as reported by Coroner Buddy Bryan.

The Kentucky River’s level reached 48.27 feet at Frankfort Lock on Monday, just below the record of 48.5 feet set on December 10, 1978, according to CJ Padgett, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Louisville, Kentucky.

Gov. Beshear reported that over 1,000 people were without access to clean water, and nearly 3,000 others were under boil water advisories. The city of Harrodsburg, located about 30 miles south of Frankfort, announced on social media that its water system had halted pumping around midnight because of rising flood levels. By Monday evening, the city’s treatment plant resumed normal operations.

John and Phyllis Sower, who reside about half a block from the river, faced approximately 4 feet of water in their cellar. A neighbor even waded over to their home on Monday to bring them flowers.

“We are an island in the Kentucky River,” Phyllis Sower commented.

In northeastern Arkansas, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders described the situation around Hardy, which suffered damage to city hall and other buildings, as “absolutely heartbreaking.”

West Memphis Fire Chief Barry Ealy reported that rescue teams in the flood-prone area have saved over 100 people.

In Dyersburg, Tennessee, Michael Glass had to evacuate to a hotel with his wife, three children, and dog after floodwaters reached his front door, overwhelming their neighborhood.

“It’s been a really stressful time,” he expressed. “This morning, the waters rose dramatically. I had to decide to either stay or evacuate.”

A tornado in McNairy County, Tennessee, caused extensive damage, destroying over 100 structures and impacting the town of Selmer with winds estimated at 160 mph, local emergency management officials reported. Severe weather has claimed five lives in a county housing roughly 26,100 residents.