Thousands Flee Floods, Twisters in Four States

Rising water inundated towns in Kentucky and turned others into islands Monday as flooding kept thousands of people out of their homes across a four-state area.

Falmouth, Ky., was among the hardest hit as flooding forced thousands of people from their homes in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. Nineteen deaths were blamed on tornadoes and flooding, including many who drowned or were washed from their cars--in addition to the 24 tornado deaths in Arkansas over the weekend.

Kentucky reported nine flooding deaths, and one person was missing. Five were dead in Ohio, four people were killed in Tennessee by floods and tornadoes, and one flood death was reported in West Virginia. Mississippi had one tornado death.

Rain continued to fall, offering no relief from the worst flooding since 1964.

The Ohio River spilled over its banks in Cincinnati, forcing officials to close roads and call for evacuation of low-lying areas.

The river reached more than 59 feet at Cincinnati Monday, almost 7 feet above flood stage, and a crest of 63 feet was forecast for today.

The Ohio, which forms Kentucky’s 665-mile-long northern border, was headed for its highest levels in more than 30 years.

In Louisville, crews were closing all 45 gates in the city’s flood wall along the Ohio and were preparing to reinforce them with 120,000 sandbags.

Across the river in Indiana, communities started evacuating.

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The worst damage occurred in smaller towns like Falmouth, a community of 2,700 about 30 miles southeast of Cincinnati. The relatively narrow Licking River flooded with terrifying speed beginning Saturday night. The river crested at 52 feet, 24 feet above flood stage.

The river receded slowly Monday, its muddy water still lapping 6 to 8 feet high against the walls and windows of downtown businesses.

“We lost everything we had,” said Jimmy Williams, who sat on a chair outside a shelter at a hilltop high school gymnasium, waiting with his dog, Sandy, and his bird, A.J. They were all he and his wife could get out of their house.

In Arkansas, rescue workers and repair teams began helping residents recover from the 14 tornadoes that ripped across the state.

In Arkadelphia, Ark., where six people died, trucks, bulldozers and excavators crawled around Main Street and the downtown area, where buildings were flattened.