A powerful winter storm has hit the U.S., causing at least nine deaths, including eight people in Kentucky.
The storms brought heavy rain that caused creeks to overflow and flooded many roads.
Governor Andy Beshear said that hundreds of people were rescued from flooded areas, but some, like a mother and her 7-year-old child, died after their car got stuck in high water.
Governor Beshear urged people to stay off the roads, saying, “This is the search and rescue phase.
Stay safe and stay alive.” Since Saturday, over 1,000 rescues have taken place in Kentucky, but the storm also knocked out power for about 39,000 homes. Strong winds in some areas may cause more power outages.
The storm didn’t just affect Kentucky. Northern states faced freezing cold, and snowstorms hit the Midwest and Northeast.
In some parts of Kentucky and Tennessee, as much as 6 inches of rain fell over the weekend.
The National Weather Service warned that the flooding could last longer than the rain.
In Tennessee, a levee failed, flooding neighborhoods and forcing rescues. A person in Atlanta was also killed when a large tree fell on a house.
The Northern Plains are facing extreme cold, with wind chills dropping to minus 50°F in places like Minnesota and North Dakota.
The weather is expected to get even colder as the U.S. faces a polar vortex. Avalanches are a concern in the Rocky Mountains, with up to 2 feet of snow falling in Colorado.
As the storm continues, authorities urge people to stay safe and avoid unnecessary travel.