(FRANKFORT, Ky.) — The flooding danger isn’t over in the wake of four days of deadly storms that devastated the central U.S. with catastrophic rainfall and destructive tornadoes.
For Andy Beshear, governor of hard-hit Kentucky, the biggest concern is people driving through water and around barricades.
“We need people to wait this out,” he said at a news conference Tuesday.
Twenty-three people have died since Wednesday from the storms, with the fatalities spanning Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi and Indiana.
Four of the deaths were in Kentucky, including a 27-year-old man, Lee Chandler, who was reported missing after being swept away by floodwaters in McCracken County. His body has since been recovered, police said on Monday.
The rainfall from these storms was historic. More than 15 inches of rain deluged Benton, Kentucky — the most rain on record in a four-day period for the western part of the state — and over 14 inches of rain inundated Arkansas and Tennessee.
Flood alerts remain in effect on Tuesday in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana. Twenty-one river gauges are currently in major flood stage and more than 40 locations could reach major flood stage this week.
In hard-hit Frankfort, Kentucky, the Kentucky River crested near record levels on Sunday night, more than 17 feet above flood stage — the highest the river has been in decades at this location. The river is now slowly receding, but still in major flood stage.
Beshear said rivers have crested in many places and flooding should soon be going down.
He said he hopes people forced to evacuate can return to their homes on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced a new website, Floodsmart.gov, to help people directly access flood insurance quotes.
“It’s quick and easy and takes just a few minutes. Insured survivors recover faster,” Cameron Hamilton, senior official performing the duties of FEMA administrator, said in a statement. “With spring flooding and hurricane season both approaching fast, it’s important to take this first step so you can better protect the life you’ve built.”
ABC News’ Melissa Griffin, Max Golembo and Luke Barr contributed to this report.
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