The Southern state of Kentucky has borne the brunt of the devastation, with 12 fatalities and widespread destruction following torrential rainfall that dumped over a month’s worth of precipitation in just 24 hours.
"We just got hit by one of the most significant natural disasters we’ve seen in our lifetime," Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said Monday, cautioning that emergency crews are still working to reach stranded residents.
More than 1,000 rescues have been performed, including evacuations by boat and helicopter.
West Virginia also faces a crisis, with "significant levels of flooding" and several missing persons, according to Gov. Patrick Morrisey.
Five flash flood emergencies were issued across Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee over the weekend, with Obion County, Tennessee declaring a state of emergency as floodwaters breached a levee, prompting mandatory evacuations.
The devastation comes as a brutal Arctic blast grips the Central US, bringing life-threatening cold to over 60 million Americans.
Wind chills as low as -60F (-15C) are expected in the Northern Plains, while temperatures in the Southern and South Central states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee will plummet by double digits.
"If your power isn’t scheduled to come back on for another couple days, find a warm place," Beshear urged, warning of the heightened risk of hypothermia as freezing air moves in.
More than 340 roads remain closed in Kentucky, with infrastructure damage mounting.
"At least 10 bridges in Pike County are completely gone," said County Judge Executive Ray Jones, underscoring the widespread destruction. The flooding follows deadly 2022 floods that claimed 43 lives in the state, compounding recovery efforts.
Beshear declared a state of emergency on Friday, later thanking President Donald Trump for approving a federal disaster declaration to expedite relief.
The National Guard, state police, and local agencies continue rescue and recovery operations as rivers remain swollen and additional snowfall threatens to exacerbate the crisis.
With temperatures are expected to drop below freezing as far south as Texas, forecasters warn that the worst may not yet be over.
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