US winter storm unleashes fury as 10 dead, 8 alone in Kentucky

Washington: At least 10 people, including eight in Kentucky, have died as severe storms swept across the eastern US, causing flooding, powerful winds, downed trees, and widespread power outages, officials said Sunday.

Brutally cold weather is expected to hit much of the country later in the week.

“I’m heartbroken to share we’ve lost at least 8 people to this storm,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said on X. “And remember, the severe weather continues.” He said the number of fatalities was likely to increase.

In addition, one person died in the southern city of Atlanta, Georgia. The victim was killed when an “extremely large” tree fell on his house early Sunday, local fire official Scott Powell told local media.

Most of the dead in Kentucky, Beshear said in an earlier news conference, drowned when trapped in their vehicles by fast-rising floodwaters. The victims included a mother and her child.

The governor, who has declared a state of emergency, urged people to stay off the roads.

Emergency crews carried out more than 1,000 rescues in Kentucky alone, with 19 swift-water teams deployed across multiple counties.

Noting that all 120 counties in the state have been impacted, Beshear said two nursing homes had to be evacuated, including one where 100 patients were relocated by state police.