8 People Have Died in KY due to Severe Weather - Emergency Number Instructions (for non-Life Threatening Situations) Provided to Relieve 911

At least eight people have died in Kentucky due to severe weather, with the number expected to rise.

"We believe this number is going to grow," Beshear said at a press conference. "We hope it doesn't grow quickly or grow much larger but one way you can help us out to ensure we have as few fatalities as possible is don't get on the roadways. Give time for the water to go down. So many of these fatalities were due to attempts to drive through water and through moving water."

"Where we are right now is in the emergency response phase, this is the search and rescue phase," Beshear said. "This emergency phase we are in will last at least a couple more days. That's the type of event we are dealing with."

"Avoid driving on covered roadways, that's where we're losing the most people. Stay off the roads, if you hit water, turn around," Beshear said. "It's not worth dying. It can wait."

Flooding and Rescues: Approximately 1,000 rescues have been carried out due to flooding, marking one of the most serious weather events in Kentucky in the past decade.

Confirmed Fatalities: Confirmed fatalities include several individuals across different counties, with many deaths attributed to attempts to drive through floodwaters.

State of Emergency and Warnings: Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency, and residents are advised to stay off the roads due to ongoing flooding and potential power outages.

People should only call 911 when there is a life-threatening situation, according to Beshear.

"If you have immediate needs but they're not life-threatening, don't call 911, complete the rapid assessment form or call the following number (502) 607-6665," Beshear said. "This is when you have needs that include your power being out, no heat, individuals with medical needs or disabilities that are not life-threatening. If you're worried about the amount of food you have or what you're going to cook, you call this number."

The Kentucky National Guard has 146 soldiers and airmen actively responding to the ongoing emergency in at least 16 counties.