Hopkinsville, Ky. – Another round of torrential rain and sudden floods It was expected that on Saturday in parts of the south and the west medium already strongly flooded for days of severe storms that in some cases generated mortal tornadoes.
Round after heavy rains has hit the center of the United States, which has led to the rapid increase in river paths and causing a sudden flood emergency series on Friday night in Missouri, Texas and Arkansas. Meanwhile, many communities were still staggering for tornadoes who destroyed entire neighborhoods and killed at least seven people earlier this week.
In Frankfort, Kentucky, the floods swept a 9 -year -old boy while walking to a school bus stop on Friday morning, Governor Andy Beshear said on social networks. The authorities said that Gabriel Andrews’s body was found a half mile where he disappeared.
The area of the Hopkinsville center, Kentucky, a city of 31,000 residents 72 miles (116 kilometers) northwest of Nashville, was submerged on Friday. A dozen people were rescued from the houses, and dozens of pets were away from the ascending water, a fire official said.
Tony Kirves and some friends used sand bags and a void to try to contain growing waters that covered the basement and leaked on the ground floor of their photography business in Hopkinsville. The center was “like a lake,” he said.
“We are maintaining ground,” he said. “We are trying to keep and keep it out the best we can.”
Sudden flood emergencies were broadcast on Friday night in at least seven cities in Missouri, Texas and Arkansas, according to the National Meteorological Service.
One was in Van Buren, Missouri, where there were at least 15 rescue of water in the midst of heavy rains and a current river in rapid increase in the river, said Justin Gibbs, meteorological service meteorologist. Another was in Texarkana, Texas, where flooded streets resulted in several people had to be rescued from their vehicles, according to the City Police Department.
“If you do not have a good reason to be out (like one that implies a visit to the emergency room), stay at home and outside the roads!” The police department said on social networks.
Heavy rains were expected to continue in parts of Missouri, Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky and elsewhere on Saturday and could produce dangerous sudden floods. The weather service said that 45 locations of the rivers in multiple states were expected to reach a large stage of flood, with an extensive flooding of structures, roads and other possible critical infrastructure.
In Christian County, Kentucky, which includes Hopkinsville, from 6 to 10 inches (15.2 to 25.4 centimeters) fell from Wednesday night, said NWS on Friday afternoon. The rain caused the Little River to emerge on its banks, and 4 to 8 inches (10.2 to 20.3 centimeters) could further fall on Sunday, he said.
Hundreds of Kentucky roads were impassable on Friday due to the waters of floods, fallen trees or mud and rock slides, and it is likely that the number of closures would increase with more rain on Saturday, Beshear said.
Sudden floods are particularly worrying in the rural area of Kentucky, where water can run from the mountains to the holes. Less than four years ago, dozens died in floods in the eastern part of the State.
Extreme floods through a corridor that includes Louisville, Kentucky and Memphis, which have important load centers, could also lead to delays in shipping and supply chain, said Jonathan Porter, a meteorologist Chief of Accuweather.
The swollen rivers and tributaries also flooded some parts in Ohio on Friday, and Governor Mike Dewine said around 70 roads were closed. The southern half of the state was expected to see moderate floods, which has not happened in four years, he added.
The forecast attributed the violent climate to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shearing and abundant humidity of the Gulf. The NWS issued at least 318 tornado warnings since the outbreak of this week began on Wednesday.
The outbreak arrives at a time when almost half of the NWS forecast offices Have 20% vacancy rates After Trump’s administration Work cuts – Only only one decade ago.
According to the NWS, at least two observed tornado reports were observed on Friday night in Missouri and Arkansas.
“Go cover now!” The weather service said in X in response to the one on the ground around the small city of Advance de Missouri.
At the beginning of the week, seven people died in the initial wave of storms that generated powerful tornadoes on Wednesday and early Thursday in Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana.
The governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee, said that the entire neighborhoods in the city of Selmer were “completely annihilated”, after it was beaten For a tornado with winds estimated by the NW of up to 160 mph (257 kph). The anticipated warning of the storms probably saved lives when hundreds of people took refuge in a court, said the governor.
In neighbor Arkansas, a tornado near Blytheville’s elevated debris of at least 25,000 feet (7.6 kilometers) high, according to the meteorologist of the Chelly Amin weather service. The State Emergency Management Office reported damage to 22 tornado, wind, hail and sudden flood counties.
Mississippi governor said at least 60 houses were damaged. And in the far west of Kentucky, four people were injured while taking refuge in a vehicle under a church garage, according to the Office of Emergency Management in Ballard County.
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Schreiner reported from Shelbyville, Kentucky. Associated Press Andrew Testle Rock writers at Little Rock, Arkansas; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tennessee; Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Obed Lamy in Hopkinsville; John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia; and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed.
