The southern state of Kentucky is bearing the brunt of devastation with 12 deaths and widespread destruction following heavy rainfall that abandoned a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours.
“We just suffered one of the most important natural disasters we’ve seen in our lifetime,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Besher said Monday.
Over 1,000 rescues have been carried out, including evacuation by boat and helicopter.
West Virginia is facing a crisis with “significant levels of flooding” and several missing people, according to Gov. Patrick Morrissey.
Five flash flood emergency was issued over the weekend in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee, and Obion County, Tennessee, declared a state of emergency and urged mandatory evacuation as the flood violated the levee.
Devastation brings life-threatening cold to more than 60 million Americans as a brutal Arctic explosion holds the US centre.
The Northern Plains expects windy cold as low as -60F (-15c), but temperatures in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee will plummet by double digits.
MNA