Seven Kentuckians have died in storms, 70 counties declare emergencies, governor says

The death toll from the floods that hit Kentucky over the last week has risen to seven. 

At a briefing Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear said those who have died are a 66-year-old Carroll County man, a 9-year-old boy in Franklin County, a 74-year-old woman in Nelson County, a 65-year-old man in Trigg County, a 27-year-old man in McCracken County and a 50-year-old man in Bullitt County.

Later in the day, Beshear announced on social media that a man in Pendleton County had died from flood-related causes. 

The state’s Team Kentucky Storm Relief Fund will cover the funeral expenses for those lost. 

Additionally, at least 70 of Kentucky’s 120 counties have declared states of emergency following the deadly storms. 

“That means in each of these counties, they believe that there is enough damage, that there was enough flash flooding, storm damage, or river bank flooding to necessitate a state of emergency,” Beshear said during his weekly press conference. 

Beshear is asking President Donald Trump’s administration for individual assistance and expects to submit that application Friday, he said. 

“We want to make our best case to get that first round in, and then we will add counties after that,” Beshear said. “We’ve been through enough of these, we know that that is the fastest, most effective and most efficient process to do it.” 

Meanwhile, the Ohio River at Louisville crested Wednesday at nearly 68 feet, but won’t crest further west for a few days yet. It’s expected to crest at Owensboro on Saturday or Sunday, in Henderson on Sunday, and then in Paducah sometime next week, Beshear said.

This story has been updated to include a seventh flood-related death.