Kentucky governor: Death toll from flooding at 26, expected to grow

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) on Sunday said the death toll from the state’s severe flooding and rainstorms is at 26 and is expected to climb as rescue missions continue. 

“Our death toll right now is at 26, but I know of several additional bodies, and we know it’s going to grow. With the level of water, we’re going to be finding bodies for weeks, many of them swept hundreds of yards, maybe a quarter mile plus from where they were lost,” Beshear told moderator Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” 

The governor reported that four of the 26 deaths were children and that he fears “we’ll find at least a couple more as well.”

Water and power are out throughout the state, and storms are unrelenting.

A heat wave expected next week may make conditions even harder for rescuers, who have recovered at least 1,432 people in the state, according to an update from the governor’s office Saturday.

Beshear said Sunday that “it’s going to take some time to get a firm grasp” on how many Kentuckians are missing. 

“It’s tough. This is one of the most devastating, deadly floods that we have seen in our history. It wiped out areas where people didn’t have that much to begin with,” Beshear said.