FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear gave a Team Kentucky briefing on Thursday to provide updates on continuing efforts in eastern Kentucky following historic flooding, noting that he feels the state is now moving into a stabilization phase.
“I see our response to this flooding in three phases: emergency, stabilization and rebuilding,” Beshear said. “This was the most devastating and deadly flooding our commonwealth has experienced in my lifetime. But the good news is, we are likely out of the emergency phase of responding to this disaster. Now we move into the stabilization phase, and then we can start rebuilding.”
The death toll has crept up to 39 total as a result of the flooding. The new total includes the death of Aaron “Mick” Crawford, a Knott County High School student who died after assisting with cleanup efforts in the area, and another death in Breathitt County that the governor announced Thursday afternoon. Kentucky State Police are still searching for two people in Breathitt County who have been missing since the flooding began:
Vanessa Baker, a 60-year-old woman from the Lost Creek Community, is described as white, 5-feet-7-inches tall, weighing approximately 215 pounds and having dark-colored hair. Her last known location was at her residence in the area of Lower River Caney Road.
Nancy Cundiff, a 29-year-old woman from the Lost Creek Community, is described as white, 5-feet-1-inch tall, weighing approximately 280 pounds and having dark-colored hair. Her last known location was at her residence in the area of Lower River Caney Road.
Anyone with information about either woman is asked to contact Post 13 in Hazard at 606-435-6069.
There have been a total of 1,334 rescues completed between July 28 and Aug. 2 by teams from the Kentucky National Guard, the Tenessee National Guard, the West Virginia National Guard, the Kentucky State Police and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
The governor also shared about temporary housing efforts for those in need of shelter in the area. Twenty local organizations, including state parks, churches, schools and community centers are housing a total of 483 survivors. Of those, 321 are staying at area state parks which were immediately opened as temporary shelters after flooding began.
To date, the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund has raised $5,246,022 from 31,667 donations. Those funds are being dispursed first for the funerals of the victims. Beshear announced that a total of 35 funeral payments have been dispersed so far for a total of $350,000.
The recovery process remains fluid with needed utilities still offline for a number of people in eastern Kentucky. Due to storms overnight on Wednesday, power outages rose to 749 from 230. That is a dramatic improvement from the 25,111 power outages that were initially reported on July 25.
One water system is still not operational with 6,325 service connections currently without water and 35,000 connections still under a “Boil Water Advisory.” Five wastewater systems are still not operational, with six wastewater systems still under limited operation.
Rescue and recovery efforts have been underway since devastating rains hit eastern Kentucky on July 26, overfilling creeks and flooding homes in a matter of hours. The next day, Beshear declared a state of emergency and authorized state agencies to coordinate efforts across federal, state, local, volunteer and private agencies.
That was followed by a national declaration for a state of emergency by President Joe Biden, releasing federal funds to aid in recovery efforts. On Monday the president and first lady Jill Biden visted families displaced by the flooding and surveyed the damage.