Countless communities across several states are continuing to experience deadly flooding in the aftermath of a nearly two week stretch of severe weather, tornadoes and torrential rain. FOX Weather Meteorologists Britta Merwin and Kendall Smith have the latest on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A deadly barrage of severe weather, tornadoes and torrential rain has come to an end, but the danger is far from over in communities across the Midwest and South as angry rivers continue to rise, forcing families from their homes.
At least 24 people in seven states have been killed due to the severe weather or flooding, including children and first responders.
President Donald Trump approved emergency disaster declarations for Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide additional support for communities grappling with the scope of the historic disaster.
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Drone photo shows a flooded Western Kentuck Parkway at the White Mills-Eastview Exit.
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Flooded highway 1375 in Glendale, Kentucky on Sunday.
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Photo shows a flooded Highway 84 between WK & Four Corners.
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A car drives past the flooded Nolin River on a highway unaffected by flooding.
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Farm sits on the edge of flooding in Glendale, Kentucky.
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Scenes of the flood caused by heavy rains across the Midwest of the U.S. in Frankfort, Kentuky, on April 7, 2025.
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Aerial view of Buffalo Trace Distillery surrounded by floodwaters in Frankfort, Kentuky, after days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025. Violent storms battering the central-eastern United States have killed at least 17 people, officials said on April 5, 2025, with the National Weather Service warning of “devastating” flash flooding. (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA / AFP) (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)
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Aerial view of Buffalo Trace Distillery surrounded by floodwaters in Frankfort, Kentuky, after days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025. ing. (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)
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Aerial view of Buffalo Trace Distillery surrounded by floodwaters in Frankfort, Kentuky, after days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025. (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA / AFP)
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An aerial view of severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, caused by days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025. Violent storms battering the central-eastern United States have killed at least 17 people, officials said on April 5, 2025, with the National Weather Service warning of “devastating” flash flooding. (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA / AFP) (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)
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An aerial view shows floodwater along Highway 61 following large storms on April 07, 2025 near Sikeston, Missouri. Thunderstorms, heavy rains, high winds, and tornadoes have plagued the central region of the U.S. for the past several days, causing widespread damage before moving east. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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An aerial view of severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, caused by days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025. (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA / AFP) (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)
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In this aerial view, vehicles drive through a flooded street following large storms on April 07, 2025 in Portageville, Missouri. Thunderstorms, heavy rains, high winds and tornadoes have plagued the central region of the U.S. for the past several days causing widespread damage before moving east. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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Flooding in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 5, 2025 due to Ohio River flooding.
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Flooding in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 5, 2025 due to Ohio River flooding.
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Flooding in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 5, 2025 due to Ohio River flooding.
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Flooding in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 5, 2025 due to Ohio River flooding.
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An aerial view of severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, caused by days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025.
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Aerial view of Buffalo Trace Distillery surrounded by floodwaters in Frankfort, Kentuky, after days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025.
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An aerial view of severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, caused by days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025.
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An aerial view of severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, caused by days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025.
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An aerial view of severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, caused by days of heavy rainfall across the Midwest on April 7, 2025.
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Sandbag barricades are stacked in downtown Frankfort, Kentuky, to guard against flooding on April 7, 2025.
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City and county workers create a sandbag wall as the Kentucky River rises on April 6, 2025 in Frankfort, Kentucky.
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Houses evacuated are shown as the Kentucky River rises on April 6, 2025 in Frankfort, Kentucky.
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A boy looks out from a parking garage as two people on take a boat into the flood waters on April 6, 2025 in Frankfort, Kentucky.
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Houses evacuated are shown as the Kentucky River rises on April 6, 2025 in Frankfort, Kentucky.
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This aerial view shows damage left by a reported tornado in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, on April 6, 2025. Violent storms battering the central-eastern US have killed at least 16 people, officials said, with the National Weather Service warning on April 6 of “severe” flash flooding in the coming days. A line of fierce storms stretching from Arkansas to Ohio has damaged buildings, flooded roadways and produced dozens of tornadoes in recent days. (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA / AFP) (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)
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This aerial view shows damage left by a reported tornado in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, on April 6, 2025. Violent storms battering the central-eastern US have killed at least 16 people, officials said, with the National Weather Service warning on April 6 of “severe” flash flooding in the coming days. A line of fierce storms stretching from Arkansas to Ohio has damaged buildings, flooded roadways and produced dozens of tornadoes in recent days. (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA / AFP) (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)
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This aerial view shows damage left by a reported tornado in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, on April 6, 2025. Violent storms battering the central-eastern US have killed at least 16 people, officials said, with the National Weather Service warning on April 6 of “severe” flash flooding in the coming days. A line of fierce storms stretching from Arkansas to Ohio has damaged buildings, flooded roadways and produced dozens of tornadoes in recent days. (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA / AFP) (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)
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This aerial view shows damage left by a reported tornado in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, on April 6, 2025. Violent storms battering the central-eastern US have killed at least 16 people, officials said, with the National Weather Service warning on April 6 of “severe” flash flooding in the coming days. A line of fierce storms stretching from Arkansas to Ohio has damaged buildings, flooded roadways and produced dozens of tornadoes in recent days. (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA / AFP) (Photo by LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)
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POPLAR BLUFF, MISSOURI – APRIL 06: Floodwater covers a roadway on April 06, 2025 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Thunderstorms, heavy rains, high winds, and tornadoes have plagued the regions for several days, causing widespread damage. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
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Ohio River flooding in Cincinnati, Ohio on April 5, 2025.
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A giant hole in this resident’s home exposes a car parked in the garage.
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More debris is mangled and piled up as crews work to clean up the damages caused by a tornado’s extreme winds.
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A field of damaged cars, wood, and home items littered the area after the tornado struck the small city.
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Crews begin cleaning up all the debris and damages caused by the devastating tornado outbreak.
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Piles of debris caused by the tornado sit mangled with a downed tree.
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Flooding in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
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Flooding in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
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“I just want to stress that we do not want to lose another individual,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference on Monday. “Remember. This event is not over until the waters have receded. Until the areas that are flooded are fully dry. Until we don’t have saturated ground that could create mudslides over roads and bridges.”
The National Guard, Kentucky State Police and other state and local leaders have been working tirelessly to keep people safe and have urged people to avoid travel if possible.
Beshear said on Monday that more than 500 roads across the state were closed due to historic flooding, mudslides and landslides.
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An aerial view of the famous Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, shows it surrounded by floodwaters. As of Sunday, the distillery was closed and will not be accessible to consumers or employees.
The Buffalo Trace Distillery, located on the banks of the Kentucky River in Frankfort, was temporarily closed this week because of catastrophic flooding. Days of relentless downpours caused the Kentucky, Ohio and Mississippi rivers to surge out of their banks.
A dramatic drone video provided an overhead look at the muddy water surrounding America’s oldest continuously operating distillery.
“We will be closed through Thursday, April 10th at a minimum,” the distillery said on social media. “As this is a rapidly unfolding situation, visits may be impacted beyond that time, and we will continue to provide updates as they are available. Due to the unprecedented and ongoing rain and flooding, we are not able to advise on the impact to our total distillery footprint.”
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A drone video shared by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office in Kentucky provides a look at a highway in Glendale that was submerged in floodwaters on Sunday, April 6, 2025.
Another drone video showed a Kentucky highway underwater amid the historic flooding.
The video provided by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office showed a highway in Glendale submerged in the murky floodwater from the nearby Nolin River.
In the video, electrical lines stand in feet of water. As the camera pans, water sits across the highway, where the yellow dividing line fades into the abyss, and only the guardrails remain visible.
Tennessee flooding leads to mandatory evacuations
The historic flooding that has plagued communities in the Mississippi and Ohio valleys has led to mandatory evacuations in Tennessee.
Dyer County Mayor David Quick issued mandatory evacuation orders for Cocklebur and surrounding communities in Bogota due to the significant flooding impacts in the community.
The evacuation order was posted to Facebook, and includes all residents east of Highway 78.
“We understand that this is a difficult situation, but your safety is paramount,” Quick said. “Please take this order seriously and evacuate immediately.”
The order also had a dire warning – those who don’t comply with the evacuation order may not be able to receive help from first responders. In addition, residents may be held personally liable for any damage or injuries sustained.