At least 16 people are deadfollowing catastrophic flooding in Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday.
That number is expected to double and includes children, as rescuers scramble to reach areas difficult to access.
"It's going to get a lot higher," Beshear said at a news conference Friday morning, adding that an unknown number of people are missing.
"There's going to be multiple families that we've lost," Beshear told
"This is so deadly, and it hit so hard, and it hit in the middle of the night," the governor said, adding that although eastern Kentucky often floods, "we've never seen something like this."
"This is so deadly, and it hit so hard, and it hit in the middle of the night," the governor said, adding that although eastern Kentucky often floods, "we've never seen something like this."
Rescuers are working around the clock to reach areas where flooding washed away roads or left them under water after heavy rain Wednesday night into Thursday.
"Whole roads washed out -- we still can't get to a lot of people. There is so much water. The current is so strong. It is not safe for some of the water rescues that we need to do," Beshear said.