A 9-year-old boy in Kentucky was swept away by the flooded waters on Friday, one in at least nine people who died in a series of dramatic storms that continue to stab the US.
The strong winds and the forces of rain continued to pound conditions, including Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky on Saturday, slowing down efforts to recover.
Forecasters in the National Meteorological Service have said they are expecting “potentially historical” rainfall and broad temperature changes from the central US to the east coast on Sunday.
It is reported that the boy went to his stop on the school bus on Friday morning when he was overtaken by a flood. Frankfart's police department in Frankfurt, Kentucky, has confirmed that he has restored his body about two hours later.
“We are deeply saddened by this horrific tragedy that took the lives of one of our students,” said Franklin school chief Mark Cop at a press conference on Friday.
Kentucky Governor Andy Bear called the boy's death “unthinkable loss.” He also confirmed another death – that of an adult – in Kentucky on Saturday.
“We need everyone to understand that all water is a risk right now. Let's do our best to keep our loved ones safe,” he said in a statement.
National weather forecasts have said heavy thunderstorms and lightning floods are expected in a wide group of the Central US, which extended from Arkansas and Louisiana to Western Penns out on Sunday before the system weakened and moved to the east coast.
By Saturday afternoon, more than 162,000 people were already powerless in Arkansas, Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky had already declared emergencies earlier during the week.
The forecasters said the storms on Saturday had “the creation of a catastrophic, potentially historically heavy rainfall and a lightning flood, with some places being potentially visible from rainfall up to 10-20 (inches) when everything is said.”
Even when the rain stops, the swollen rivers will continue to pose a danger, the forecasts said. Changes in pressure and strong winds also place the area of eastern Texas in Western Tennessee at increased risk of tornado.
It was Criminal Week of Time for the RegionS Dozens of tornado has been reported and hundreds of cities have spent days in Wednesday storm warnings.
Other deaths have included a man and his teenage daughter in Tennessee and a 68-year-old man in Missouri, who, according to reports, has stopped helping a torn driver.
The same region was struck by tornado, fires and dust storms that killed 40 and Left “staggering” damage in MarchS