Areas around southern Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi river basins could see continuous flooding threats for weeks following the past week’s “one-in-1,000-year” rain event, forecasters have warned.
While the rains have ended over areas affected by the flooding, moderate-to-major flooding could linger, according to the forecasting company AccuWeather.
As of Tuesday morning, its forecasters said more than 20 river gauge sites were at major flood stage, and 212 locations across the Central U.S. were at or above flood stage. Satellite imagery captured the changes.
"The Kentucky River at Frankfort Lock, Kentucky, has crested just under the all-time record of 48.47 feet. Records at the location along the river date back to at least the early 1800s," AccuWeather meteorologist Alyssa Glenny said in a statement.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told reporters that while the river had crested in Frankfort, the state was concerned about other places
“As the worst of the flooding has occurred [in Frankfort] and many other areas, we’re starting to move teams especially to the west. The Green River hasn’t crested yet, so [we’re] still having teams there,” he said. “But, down the Ohio River and Henderson and Owensboro — even into next week we’re looking at some flooding, and significant flooding.”
The Green River Ferry at Mammoth Cave National Park has been temporarily closed due to high water conditions and debris. Pictures showed caves filled with floodwaters.
Frankfort, the state capital, had been nearly covered in murky brown waters. On Tuesday, the waters were slowly starting to recede, and people could be able to return to their homes by tomorrow, the governor said.
A half-inch of rain is forecast for later this week. It is not expected to bring water levels higher, but may mean that the process of water levels receding takes a little longer.
“We need people to wait this out. In many places we’ve seen the rivers crest and the flooding will be going down,” said Beshear.
The powerful spring storm that resulted in the historic flooding also spawned tornadoes and brought flooding to other states. Impacts led to the deaths of at least 23 people. In Kentucky, Beshear said that flooding had resulted in the deaths of four residents, including a 27-year-old man in McCracken County and a 65-year-old Trigg County man.
As of the morning, there had been 272 evacuations by boat and 142 rescues, including 67 evacuations from a hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.
For Henderson County, nearly three hours west of Frankfort, Beshear said that additional evacuations could come by Wednesday.
Emergency managers there are preparing for a major flood event, and the river was expected to reach 48.5 feet by Saturday. Residents were instructed not to cross flooded roads. Shelters were opened on Tuesday and a portion of U.S. Highway 60 was shut down.
“There are 357 soldiers and airmen from the Kentucky National Guard mobilized to conduct missions with Kentucky Emergency Management. Guard assets are currently supporting evacuation, search and rescue and distribution efforts,” a statement from the governor’s office said.
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