At least 8 dead as tornadoes, flooding ravage several states in central US this week
The latest death occurred Friday in Frankfort, Kentucky, where police said a boy was found in floodwater. This comes following a deadly tornado outbreak has killed at least seven people and spawned more than 30 reports of twisters across the lower and mid-Mississippi Valley on Wednesday.
Child swept away by floodwaters in Kentucky as central US braces for 'generational flooding'
Potentially historic flooding is underway in the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, as repeated rounds of rain pummel several states in America's heartland. Officials say the devastation in Kentucky continues after a boy was found dead after he was swept away by floodwater.
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A relentless barrage of tornadoes and historic flash flooding across several states has now claimed at least eight lives as of Friday, according to state and local officials.
The latest death occurred in Frankfort, Kentucky, where police said a boy was swept away by floodwaters while on his way to the school bus stop in the Hickory Hills area. He was found dead a few hours later by EMS and first responders. The Franklin County Coroner identified the boy as 9-year-old Gabriel Andrews.
"A tragedy such as this is felt by our entire community and we all grieve together," Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson said. "We encourage our community to be diligent and stay safe during this weekend’s continuing severe weather event."
This comes after a deadly tornado outbreak killed at least seven people and spawned more than 30 reports of twisters across the lower and mid-Mississippi Valley on Wednesday.
At least five of those deaths happened in Tennessee, state officials said Thursday night. On Thursday, President Donald Trump approved the disaster declaration for all 95 counties in Tennessee, setting in motion FEMA's response to disaster relief across the state.
The storms have also injured multiple others and destroyed several homes from Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee through Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana.
In Missouri, Whitewater Fire Protection District Chief Garry Moore was killed while responding to severe weather on Wednesday night along Highway 25 between Advance and Delta, Missouri. A statement from Whitewater Fire Protection District said the department responded on Wednesday night "to assist with search and rescue efforts due to widespread damage from a presumed tornado."
"During the response, Chief Moore observed a vehicle off the roadway and stopped to assess the incident and render aid if needed," the statement said. "A short time later, Chief Moore was found unconscious at the scene."
Potential funnel cloud spotted near reported tornado in Missouri
Daniel Parker's video taken in Doniphan, Missouri, captures a potential funnel cloud and lightning. This observation is located about 10 miles from the Storm Prediction Center's reported tornado activity in Naylor, Missouri, and aligns with the timing of those reports.
Hendricks County Sheriff's Office officials in Indiana said a 27-year-old Danville man was killed during the storm when his vehicle ran over downed power lines. At some point, the driver got out of the car and came into contact with the live power lines, deputies said.
A funnel cloud was spotted looming over downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, on Sunday, as captured in a video by DJ GNO on TikTok. (DJ GNO/ TikTok)
The FOX Forecast Center is tracking another heightened threat of severe weather Friday that will initially focus on the Texarkana region before the threat of hazardous weather expands to the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys.
Communities such as Little Rock, Jonesboro, and Fort Smith in Arkansas are all in the enhanced to moderate risk zone for severe storms. The general thunderstorm threat zone extends for hundreds of miles, placing nearly 50 million under the gun.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.