Severe rainfall submerged roads and houses in the southeastern United States, leaving nine dead over the weekend.
According to BBC, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed in a press conference on Sunday, February 16, that eight people had died in his state, and he warned that the number could rise.
The governor urged residents to “stay off the roads right now and stay alive,” following the rescue of hundreds of stranded people, many of whom were trapped in their cars due to flooding.
Additionally, the storms left hundreds of thousands of households without power on Sunday night.
In Georgia, a man was killed when an uprooted tree crashed into his home while he was lying in bed.
Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia were among the states under storm-related alerts this weekend.
These were the same states that suffered severe destruction in September due to Hurricane Helene.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), some parts of Kentucky received up to 15 cm (6 inches) of rain, leading to severe flooding.
The sudden rainfall caused river levels to rise, leaving vehicles trapped in several feet of water.
Notably, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey declared a state of emergency in 13 counties over the weekend and took to X to warn residents to stay safe.
