At least nine people have died in the storms in the US, including eight in the state of Kentucky, which were caused by powerful rainstorms that led to deadly flooding and prompted emergency services to declare a local state of emergency. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said at a press conference: "We can confirm that we have lost at least nine people in Kentucky."
Beshear noted that most of the deceased were trapped in their vehicles while surrounded by water, including a mother with a baby. The governor warned that "we expect an increase in this number" of victims, as more than a thousand people were saved within 24 hours after the flash flooding in Kentucky, where a state of emergency had been declared. He urged residents "not to approach the roads."
According to US media reports, another person died in Atlanta, Georgia, due to severe weather conditions. The death occurred after "a very large" tree was uprooted by the storm and fell on his home on Sunday morning, according to the local fire department chief Captain Scott Pauley.
Currently, central and northeast regions of the US are affected by cold waves, rain, and strong winds. According to the weather forecast, published on Sunday by the National Weather Service, "the central United States will experience a very cold polar air mass this week," leading to record cold temperatures that could drop to -60 degrees Fahrenheit (-51 degrees Celsius).
