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| Photo Credit: AP. |
A number of towns in eastern Kentucky that suffered heavy flooding which led to the deaths of over 25 persons are now bracing for withering heat.
Residents are working hard to clean up their homes, streets and communities after the devastating floods that cut off electricity to more than 18,000 homes.
As the sweltering heat spreads officials opened cooling centers Tuesday after forecasters warned of the risk to heat-related illnesses.
Search and rescue operations continue in eastern Kenturcky
Search and
rescue operations are continuing as the government seeks to locate people unaccounted
for days after the flooding.
“Extreme
heat, extreme humidity, that’s stressful in itself,” said Jerry Stacy, the
emergency management director in hard-hit Perry County, Kentucky, The
Associated Press reports. “We’re just fighting through this and hoping that
this weather don’t make it too stressful. It don’t get a lot worse than what it
is.”
Heat advisory issued for Kentucky's flood-ravaged regions
By midday
Wednesday a heat advisory was issued mostly for the flood-ravaged regions of
eastern Kentucky through Thursday evening, as heat index readings are expected
to rise close to triple digits, The Associated Press quoted the National
Weather Service as saying.
“We’ve got
to make sure that those that are vulnerable either have a cool place with
family ... or that we get them to cooling stations,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear
said Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. “We didn’t make it through the
worst flooding that we have ever seen in our lifetime to lose somebody now in
the heat.”
How many people were confirmed dead in Kentucky's flooding?
About 37
persons were confirmed dead as of Tuesday as authorities found more bodies
Monday in the devastating landscape. More than 1,300 people have so far been
rescued by crews who targeted people cut off by floods or mudslides.
“It is
absolutely devastating out there,” Beshear said, The Associated Press reported.
“It’s going to take years to rebuild. People left with absolutely nothing.
Homes that we don’t know where they are, just entirely gone. And we continue to
find bodies of our brothers and sisters that we have lost.”
Cell phone service restored in flood ridden areas of Kentucky - Beshear
Beshear said
cell phone service had been restored in much of the flood ridden areas while
most of the people reported missing to Kentucky State Police had been found.
Beshear said
about 7,500 power outages remained in eastern Kentucky as of Tuesday afternoon.
“I know you
may be out there working to salvage whatever you can. But be really careful
Wednesday and Thursday when it gets hot,” he said, warning of the expected heat
wave. “We’re bringing in water by the truckloads. We’re going to make sure we
have enough for you. But you’re going to need a cool place at least to take a
break.”
The floods
damaged hundreds of homes leaving nearly 430 people in emergency shelters.