Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear issued an alarming update on Friday, July 29, saying that at least six children are among the dead in the devastating rainfall that deluged the eastern part of the state.
According to an NBC News tally, at least 19 people have died in the historic Kentucky flooding. Beshear said that the number of children who died increased to six after the bodies of four young siblings, who were swept away from their parents' grip by the floodwaters, had been found.
Beshear said it is hard and it is even harder for those families and those communities. He told everyone to keep praying, saying there is still a lot of people out there, still a lot of people unaccounted for and they are going to do their best to find them all.
Biden issues major disaster declaration in Kentucky
According to a news release from the White House, President Joe Biden also issued a major disaster declaration in the state of Kentucky on Friday, ordering federal aid to be sent to areas that were affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides.
Beshear said the state of Kentucky made around 50 air rescues and hundreds of boat rescues on Thursday, July 28. A total of 294 people have been rescued so far and 337 people are in shelters. He added that this situation is ongoing and they are still in the search and rescue mode. He pointed out that the water is not going to crest until tomorrow in some areas.
According to a report by the Associated Press, rescue teams, assisted by the National Guard, were searching for more missing people on Friday. Jerry Stacy, who is the emergency management director in Perry County, said that they have got volunteers coming in to help. He added that they do still have people missing and that is going to be their focus. He made it clear that they are doing everything in their power to find them.
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State ordered evacuation of Panbowl Lake area due to flooding
It was not clear how many people were still unaccounted for on Friday morning. The state ordered on Thursday the evacuation of the Panbowl Lake area in eastern Kentucky's Breathitt County. Officials there are worried that the dam will breach.
The Kentucky Energy & Environment Cabinet recommended the evacuation after a muddy discharge was observed at the Panbowl Lake dam as well as rising waters at the North Fork of the Kentucky River, according to LEX18.
Beshear said they have already gone door to door and around to try to evacuate as many people who are willing to go. He made a plea to the residents, telling them to just get somewhere safe. The governor added that they don't want to lose any more people than they have to.
