After days of intense rain and wind killed at least 18 people in the United States in the South and Midwest, the rivers increased and the floods aggravated in these regions on Sunday, threatening communities full of water and seriously damaged.
Public service companies rushed to close Texas electricity and gas to Ohio while cities closed the roads and deployed sandbags to protect houses and businesses.
In Kentucky, in the city center of Frankfort, the state capital, was flooded.
“You am alive – and I am 52 years old – it’s the worst I have ever seen,” said Wendy Quire, director general of the Brown Barl restaurant.
While the inflated Kentucky river increased on Sunday, officials closed the roads and extinguished electricity and gas to the city companies that built it, said Quire. “The rain will not stop,” she said. “It has been constantly for days and days.”
The current global climate crisis brings stronger precipitation and flood risks related to most parts of the United States, with the Midwest Upper and the Ohio River Valley among the most affected regions, according to Central Climate, an independent non-profit organization that seeks weather conditions.
The forecastists warned that the floods could persist for days, while the torrential rains linger in many states, including Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. Tornades are possible in Alabama, Georgia and Florida, the forecasters said.
The 18 deaths reported that the start of Wednesday storms included 10 in Tennessee. A nine -year -old boy in Kentucky was taken in flood waters while walking to catch his school bus. A five -year -old boy from Arkansas died after a tree fell to his family home and trapped him, police said. A 16 -year -old volunteer firefighter at Missouri died in an accident while he was trying to save people caught in the storm.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said that on Sunday, dozens of locations in several states were to reach a “major flood stage”, with many floods of structures, roads, bridges and other possible critical infrastructures.
There were 521 interior and international flights canceled in the United States, and more than 6,400 were delayed on Saturday, according to flightaware.com. The website reported 74 cancellations and 478 American flight delays early on Sunday.
The storms intervene after the administration of Donald Trump reduced jobs in the offices of NWS, leaving half of them with vacation rates of around 20%, or double the level a decade ago.
The officials warned of sudden floods and tornadoes on Saturday through Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky. All eastern Kentucky was under flooding until Sunday morning.
In the North Center of Kentucky, emergency officials ordered a compulsory evacuation for Falmouth and Butler, cities near the turn of the rising licking river. Thirty years ago, the river reached a 50 -foot record (15 meters), causing five deaths and 1,000 houses destroyed.
The NWS said that 5.06 inches (almost 13 cm) of rain fell on Saturday in Jonesboro, Arkansas – which makes it the weast ever recorded in April in the city, dating back to 1893.
As of Sunday, Memphis had received 14 inches (35 cm) of rain since Wednesday, said the NWS. West Memphis, Arkansas, received 10 inches (25 cm).
Forecastists have attributed violent time to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong winds and abundant moisture streaming in the Gulf.
In Dyersburg, Tennessee, dozens of people arrived in a storm refuge on Saturday near a public school in the rain, tightening covers, pillows and other necessities.
Among them, George Manns, 77, who said he was in his apartment when he heard a tornado warning and decided to go to the refuge. A few days earlier, the city was struck by a tornado that caused millions of dollars in damage.
“I caught all of my things and came here,” said Mann, who brought a folding chair, two bags of toiletries, laptops, ipads and medicines. “I do not leave them in my apartment in case my apartment is destroyed. I have to make sure I have them with me. ”
Guardian staff helped postpone
