At least nine people have lost their lives as a powerful winter storm ravages the U.S., with Kentucky suffering the most. Creeks have burst their banks and roads have been inundated by heavy rain, killing at least eight people in the state.
“Even with the incredible response we’ve had, we can confirm that we’ve lost at least eight Kentuckians from this weather event,” Governor Andy Beshear said in a press conference on Sunday.
The death toll could rise, Beshear warned, saying more than 1,000 water rescues have already taken place.
“We don’t want it to grow quickly or much larger,” he said. “But there is something you can do to assist and that is stay off the roads. Many of these fatalities happened because people tried to drive over floodwaters.”
The storm is causing widespread flooding and road closures across Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Beshear described the situation in Kentucky as “massive” and “life-threatening” and urged people to take extraordinary precautions.
More than 300 state highways are shut down, and evacuations are in progress. Beshear has requested that President Donald Trump issue a proclamation of disaster emergency, which would unleash federal aid to affected regions.
The storm was lethal in Atlanta as well when a colossal tree fell onto a residence early Sunday, killing one, Atlanta Fire Rescue Captain Scott Powell reported.
‘Life-Threatening Cold’ Predicted in North U.S.
At the same time, dangerously cold conditions are predicted for the Northern Plains, that is, in the Dakotas and Minnesota, where wind chills can go as low as -45°C (-49°F).
Meteorologists predict that America is going to experience its 10th and coldest polar vortex so far this season. Polar weather systems are driving extremely cold air south from the North Pole, carrying extreme cold to Europe and America.
The National Weather Service posted avalanche warnings for parts of the Rocky Mountains from Colorado to Washington, with Utah most vulnerable.
As the winter storm continues to pound relentlessly, officials are urging Americans to stay off the roads and exercise extreme caution with extreme flooding in the East and deadly cold in the North.
