In the United States, eastern Kentucky has been affected by deadly floods for 24 hours now. A new toll has been drawn, at least 16 people have been killed in this Midwestern state. Joe Biden has declared a state of natural disaster. The human toll could still increase according to local authorities. All day yesterday, rescue teams scoured the disaster areas in search of survivors.
Impressive mudslides
Aboard boats and helicopters, rescuers crisscrossed this rural region, where many people live in small hamlets. The teams pass along rivers, which have suddenly come out of their beds. In total, 300 people were rescued, explains Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who was able to fly over the area.
“There are many mudslides and impassable roads. In Jackson, much of the city is under water. Hundreds of homes, playgrounds, parks, businesses, under more water which I don’t think any of us have ever seen.”
In this town of Jackson, some of the residents were also evacuated as a precaution, as mud accumulated against the local dam. In the region, several dozen people are still missing. There is no longer a telephone network. And the potential survivors cannot therefore reach their relatives or the emergency services.
It is now a long door-to-door work that is organized, while the water level must drop gradually within 24 to 48 hours. According to many scientists, these intense and frequent floods are due to climate change, since a warmer atmosphere increases the risk of more abundant rains.