Latest round of harsh winter weather kills 9 across US, including 8 in Kentucky floods

At least nine people were killed in the recent wave of harsh weather that slammed US, including eight who died in flood waters that overtook Kentucky over the weekend.

Many of the fatalities in the Bluegrass State were caused by cars getting stuck in high waters. Four fatalities were reported in Hart County, including the tragic deaths of a mother and her 7-year-old child, and a 73-year-old man in Clay County.

Meanwhile in Atlanta, one person was killed after a large tree fell on a home early Sunday, according to Atlanta Fire Rescue Capt. Scott Powell.

Hundreds of Kentucky residents were also left stranded after creeks overflowed as the state was hit with heavy rain that sparked flooding and even mudslides, Gov. Andy Beshear said on Sunday.

“So folks, stay off the roads right now and stay alive. This is the search and rescue phase, and I am very proud of all the Kentuckians that are out there responding, putting their lives on the line,” he said.

On Saturday alone, Beshear said that there were about 1,000 rescues across the state. The storms caused power outages to about 39,000 homes and counting as he warned that stronger winds in some areas will persist.

On top of the strong winds, rain battered the midwest with parts of Kentucky and Tennessee seeing up to 6 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

Kentucky has been granted a disaster declaration by President Trump, which will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate relief efforts across the state.

A state of emergency was also declared in Tennessee’s Obion County, smack in the northwest corner of the state on the border with Kentucky. A levee failed on Saturday and sparked flooding in Rives, home to around 300 people. The mayor announced a mandatory evacuation.

Further down south, an EF-1 tornado touched down overnight in central Alabama. The storm there coupled with others in pockets of the state decimated a handful of mobile homes and knocked down slews of trees and power lines, but no injuries were reported.

In West Virginia, 13 southern counties were under a state of emergency for flooding with traffic cut off in some areas on Sunday. Many volunteer fire departments were busy dealing with flooding in their own headquarters while answering calls for rescue and evacuations.

North Dakota is expecting a harsh winter chill that will drop temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero statewide and also in parts of Minnesota, according to the National Weather Service. A winter weather advisory will remain in place in Minnesota until Monday afternoon.

Over the weekend, roads in Michigan were particularly dicey with a staggering 114 crashes reported on Sunday alone. State police assured that the crashes were all largely “one-car spin outs” and that no one was seriously injured.

Drivers in Colorado weren’t so lucky. Since Valentine’s Day, eight people have been killed in crashes as authorities warn drivers to be cautious. While trying to close icy roads, three state police cruisers parked along the side were struck by other vehicles in separate incidents. None of the troopers reported any injuries.

The slew of weather-related emergencies and fatalities comes as the 10th and coldest polar vortex stretching event of the season slams the US. It’s set to be particularly strong as weather forces in the Arctic combine to force the cold air that typically remains up at the North Pole down.

With Post wires.