Severe Flooding in Southeastern US Claims Lives and Causes Widespread Damage. 

US:

At least 10 people have died as torrential downpours flooded parts of the southeastern United States over the weekend, submerging roads, homes, and causing widespread chaos. Nine fatalities were reported in Kentucky, where Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency. The flooding left hundreds of people stranded, with over 1,000 individuals requiring rescue.

Heavy rain caused rivers to swell rapidly, trapping vehicles and damaging infrastructure. Some areas in Kentucky received up to 6 inches (15 cm) of rain, exacerbating flooding issues. The victims included a mother and her seven-year-old child, as well as a 73-year-old man. Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina were all under storm-related alerts over the weekend. These states had already suffered from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in September.

A tragic incident in Georgia saw a man killed when an uprooted tree crashed into his home. Power outages affected hundreds of thousands of homes, although the number dropped to tens of thousands by Monday morning. In Obion County, Tennessee, the heavy rains caused a levee to break, leading to rapid flooding in the town of Rives. Local authorities in Tennessee and West Virginia have declared states of emergency in the affected regions.

President Donald Trump approved an emergency disaster declaration for Kentucky, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate relief efforts. FEMA Administrator Kristi Noem assured that the Department of Homeland Security was prepared to provide support as necessary.

As the storm system moves on, drier but colder conditions are expected, with risks of snow, ice, and disruptive weather. The National Weather Service warns that arctic air could bring record-breaking cold and dangerous wind chills to the central US this week.