At least 9 dead, including 8 in Kentucky, as winter storms batter the US
Al Jazeera4 days ago
Deadly Storms Kill 10 as Floods Ravage Southeast US
Above: Clarksville Fire Rescue used water rescue techniques to evacuate flood victims in Clarksville, Tennessee on Feb. 16, 2025. Image copyright: Clarksville Fire Rescue/Handout/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
At least 10 people have died across multiple southeastern US states due to severe storms and flooding, with nine fatalities reported in Kentucky and one death in Georgia when a tree fell on a home in Atlanta.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Sunday declared an emergency after approximately 1K people required rescue from flood waters. Some areas received up to 6 inches of rainfall, leading to widespread flooding and road closures.
The storms have left around 39K homes without power and authorities have warned harsh winds could increase outages in Kentucky. US Pres. Donald Trump approved an emergency disaster declaration for Kentucky, authorizing FEMA to coordinate relief efforts despite recent proposals to abolish the agency.
The Spin
Narrative A
This unprecedented amount of flooding has overwhelmed local infrastructure and emergency services, demonstrating the urgent need for federal assistance and improved disaster preparedness.
Narrative B
This crisis highlights inefficiencies in federal disaster response systems and emphasizes the need for local authorities to have more control over disaster relief efforts.
Metaculus Prediction
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