♪ >> The people impacted by this are going to lose just about everything.

>> It's another day of flood damage and death in eastern Kentucky.

>> The Weather Prediction Center actually has us in a risk of additional flash flooding, especially Sunday into Monday as well.

Really watching that very closely.

>> And the region could be at risk for more severe weather.

When this water goes down.

We I'm none of us.

I'm going to have a life to go.

And many victims are asking what happens after the floods.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ Good evening and welcome to Kentucky EDITION for this Friday, July 29th.

Thank you for joining us.

I'm Renee Shaw.

>> The devastation continues from the historic flooding that hit Eastern Kentucky this week.

Hundreds are in shelters.

Others are being told to leave their homes and 10's of thousands remain without power today Governor Andy Beshear announced federal help is on the way.

He said President Biden has approved his request for federal aid to assist in the recovery efforts and 13 eastern Kentucky counties.

The governor also announced the death toll from the flooding is now at 16 6 of the victims are children close to 300 people have been rescued from the flooding 119 of those rare rescues carried out by the Kentucky National Guard.

There are now 337 people in 10 shelters, families who have missing loved ones are being told, don't Call 9-1-1.

The governor says Kentucky State police are directing people to call specific numbers for each county.

>> We need to know.

If your loved one is unaccounted for, this is going to be a real challenge with such a large area hit to get good unaccounted for numbers.

But you out there can help us.

>> Evacuations continue.

And some areas of eastern Kentucky and Martin and Floyd County officials ordered a mandatory evacuation for those in flood prone areas.

People were told to evacuate because rescue squads were spread thin and they may not be able to reach those who became trapped people in one area of breath and county are being told to evacuate after the sighting of muddy discharge at the Pan Bold am the Kentucky River Medical Center is in that area evacuated 17 patients, a geriatric center also evacuated its 100 patients.

FEMA's top official was in Kentucky today to get a firsthand look at the flood damage.

FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell flew over Perry and Brevard counties with Governor Beshear.

She described what they saw.

>> We saw many homes that are still inundated, that the water has not receded.

I mean, we also saw homes, I think that are going to have access issues.

>> For some time.

>> Just because the roads are out and bridges are out.

And so we know that there's definitely some significant impact to the communities that we just flew over.

We have urban search and rescue teams that are already on the ground.

We actually saw some some helicopters flying around.

Still looking to see if there's any rescues that need to be done.

We're going to work really closely with the governor's team to document what we saw today and add additional assistance.

I'm as warranted based on what we just saw in this in this fight.

>> A majority of the roads in the county's Criswell and Governor Beshear flew over are impassable.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is reporting.

28 state roads are completely or partially blocked.

Temporary shelters throughout Brevard County have become a place of rest for those who have lost homes and a means of reunion for families separated by the disaster.

But now flood victims are wondering what comes next.

>> This is bad.

It's really bad.

Everything.

We've got a story to everybody lost everything.

>> We got up this morning about 7 o'clock >> the mind that's man of the trial court.

So we made evacuated and we walked down the quicksand road about 2 miles and to my brothers, my sister-in-law's house and Tom, we got her Mott writer was already under water and nurture their apartment.

Water was coming we had to come here.

>> Used to live right over here.

And that was flooded last year in March.

And then I moved to higher ground back over here.

That's flooded worse than it was last year.

>> All my stuff.

My garage is what is gone.

Destroyed.

His you can say it's just it's sad.

It's really sad.

>> I woke up and I didn't really realize there was a whole lot of the flooding and stuff because there was no cell service it's not great mother's house and she had been have law Faso.

We saw that all the devastation is going on in the county and just happen to see they're opening a shelter here, at least college and me.

My sister actually came about 12, 30 in people had just started showing up with caught.

So we started building caught sun going on food.

And so the people can come in and as people coming in, we've just been building were caught to getting more food and just trying to get people to materials that they need for the knot.

>> Founder Anna and we can KET in touch with nobody.

People are washed away.

They don't know where they're at.

And I just heard just a little while ago that friend a man.

She got washed away and her husband, they found him, but they didn't find her.

People have just been driving around.

The fire department has been out and that they're fine people.

but we found people worry may be meeting up with him, putting on a bus and bring them to the shelters.

We have not seen family groups currently here and then a lot of people coming in looking for missing loved ones in going out to other shelters.

>> Hoping to reconnect people to be able to stay the night at a shelter together.

>> When this water goes down, we I'm none of us.

I'm going to have a place to go.

There are a lot of people struggling right now.

We definitely need donations were running out of pillows, blankets and then just snack food.

We have like dinners and meals coming year.

That's not to recommend just thoughts and prayers as well.

People need to give your support around here and is for to everybody.

get through defeat.

There's there's people that are hurting and >> and I'm going to be praying for these people that I'm going to be doing.

Whatever I volunteer was to help them as well.

these waters recede and we can all come together and rebuild our communities again, it's been really scary and hard just to help these people are now like the devastation going on in the county.

>> It's also just been amazing to see all of the people from the county just come together and help each other out saying that's been really amazing.

Just the county coming together.

>> The National Weather Service office in Jackson says water levels should receive the next couple of days.

But there could be more flash flooding early next week.

Our Casey Parker-bell spoke to the operations officer about how to stay safe.

>> Dustin First, how historic is this flooding that we're seeing across eastern Kentucky right now?

>> Yeah, this just this is this is historic.

I we're talking, you know, Jackson, we're talking about breaking historical record from 1939.

And that happened overnight when we crested at 43 for 7. absolutely We're really in uncharted territories to as far as what those impacts are.

And of course we're you know, floods and information about him.

You know, about what's going on there in Jackson.

>> How can we expect water levels to change over the coming days?

>> Yes, so they should really start to come down.

That's the good news.

Once we kind of get this round of rain this morning, which is causing some problems down in like Bell in Harlan County already this morning.

Once we get these rains out by say this afternoon and evening, we should start to see things really ramp down over the next 24 hours.

Now, there are a lot rivers, creeks and streams that will run high for probably several days.

As you can imagine, what kind of us oracle, flooding like this and they'll also be rivers that that take longer to come up, that they will, you know, that will.

Run hot, as we say, and it's going to I for for several days.

So yeah, just KET that in mind.

If you're in some of these areas on.

>> And Dustin, of course, it's going to be clear today, as you said and tomorrow.

But the predicting more rain for early next week.

Does that bring the potential for more flash flooding?

>> We're certainly paying very close attention to The Weather Prediction Center actually has us in a risk of additional flash flooding, especially Sunday into Monday.

And so we're really watching that very closely it does look like overnight.

I actually was doing that part of the forecast.

It did look like right now at least our as of last night that we did see just kind of shift in may be the better rainfall going towards the Tennessee Valley.

But we're not gonna not to let our guard We're going to pay close attention to that for everybody in eastern Kentucky because we certainly don't want to see those creeks and streams that come up once again >> obviously, one of the most important things is how can people stay safe right now?

It's what precautions should people be taking.

>> Absolutely.

You know, we're kind of in the flooding now in kind of coming out for some folks.

Remember, even though water is receding, we could still have roads that have major issues.

Now after having flooded, you know, flood waters over them for a period time and actually rushing flood waters.

You know, we're talking fast, moving water.

So KET in mind, we do not cross flooded roadways.

There may not be road there.

I mean, that is the that is the reality here.

And just remember that.

Also remember, you know, check on your neighbors.

Ah, you know, the be there.

There are a lot of people who have been affected by this.

>> Employees at the National Weather Service's Jackson location have been sleeping at the office.

They're safe.

But the quick Sand Creek has flooded and they're not able to leave.

They hope water levels real recede enough so that they can leave tonight.

Now on to Letcher County.

I talked today to Whitesburg State Representative Angie Hatton.

She says about 40% of Letcher County is still without power.

Many residents are homeless and they're in desperate need of hygiene supplies and large containers of water.

She talked to us from a school serving as a shelter.

Well, I want to start with the news today about how now the president has declared a federal disaster declaration are issued a federal disaster declaration for lecture and >> several counties there.

I know that's meaningful because that means more resources.

Can you tell us what it what it's like there now and even where you are?

>> And yesterday right now, I met Letcher County Central High School is serving as for donation drop-off and sorting and distribution as well as the area that the Red Cross has set up with us.

>> For people to be able to kind of have a dry place to sleep and take a shower.

And we're trying to get.

All the products that they're going.

8 help them be able to just KET playing and try and get a warm meal and then hopefully when we're able to find a place in the state is send them out bucks in some spots.

>> Do you have any idea of how many people are there right now and the volume that's coming in?

>> Well, there's a really long line to get into the high school where and then really online to get back off and long lines inside.

I mean, we had we had several 100 people here.

We thank.

>> Goodness for volunteers, right?

Who who come We always say look for the helpers in these times because when your little down and distressed, it's the helpers who help us all get through.

Can you describe can you put into words?

The devastation there now?

>> Well, we just woke up to a nightmare.

We are used to flash flood warnings.

We get them off and here in the mountains, we're used a flashlight or was that this was something of a whole different It's the worst flood that we've ever had.

It was sparked around.

in 1957, we had the the largest lead that we've ever experienced.

the the North Fork of the Kentucky River crested at 7, 8 Psi, 14 F 8 and then yesterday it was at 21 feet.

So that's almost 7 feet higher than the record.

We had area split that do to let people who would never have thought of that flood insurance and whole neighborhoods just devastated and want to.

>> You mentioned that you're part of the of the rescue efforts yesterday.

I can't even imagine what that even entails.

A demon sharing with us.

>> I don't mind to really what led to tell the story of how much people react to this disaster yesterday.

So we are especially trained.

We didn't have any professional rescue equipment.

We had no cell signal that we had and it was just ordinary citizens trying to take kayaks, jet skis, fishing boat eventually pontoon boats, anything that would float and especially anything with a motor to try and rescue people off the rings.

Also out of that steers windows stranded on porches.

We had a handicapped woman.

One.

Her porch in a wheelchair with her family and Water Act which asked and we were able to get them that the current was so strong in what had been their yard and had become a river people were seriously risking their lives to try and get across this sturridge weave at one point made the changes even beings on the road to try and catch the boat if it got out to so that it didn't get washed away once they were able to rescue people, a group that has >> But you 20 of us and that that number with Barry had just gathered to find anything with the time to help people.

>> Representative Hatton, I know you're working hard to help your people.

And I thank you for taking some time to speak with us.

As I said, our thoughts are with you all and God bless you.

>> In other news today, there's good news and bad news in this week's Kentucky COVID map.

The Good news is the number of counties in the red or high category didn't go up.

It's 80 this weekend.

It was 80 last week.

The bad news is the remaining 40 counties are all yellow There are no counties left in the green or low COVID category.

>> Time now for our end of week.

Check in on all things political inside Kentucky politics.

We have a husband and wife duo with us this time.

>> We're pleased to welcome Abby Piper and Jared Smith.

So both are lobbyists and they have a firm Piper Smith appropriately called in the right order.

And we're glad to have them with us today.

Thank you, guys.

So I do want to talk about real what most Kentucky hands and in fact, across the nation talking about the devastating floods in eastern Kentucky.

And this is a time Abbey, where partisanship goes by the wayside.

Right?

We see Democrats and Republicans coming together to to work together to help those who are in desperate need.

And this is one of those times.

>> Yeah, it's certainly one of those pine.

you know, I talked to one of our client, you, Kentucky this morning and heard an astounding story of a family holding their children the waters came in that the children right out of their arms then and had to really pause for a moment and think about, you know, that they the impact of that.

I cannot imagine that experience.

I mean, I think it times like this.

It's important for us to remember that, you know, politic that the root of that word is a full list for people at the Greek word.

And it's a great reminder that that all that we do in politics at the way people are we really that some people first?

Yeah.

>> Jared, I know you see it that way as well.

This is the time where politics is just not center stage.

>> Correct.

And in fact, I just came from a funeral here in Lexington from a native I is the only grandmother.

And instead of in lieu of flowers and they're asking for donations to the recovery efforts in the East Room.

I spent a lot of time in Eastern Kentuckyian my first political job was in Pikeville.

I lived in Prestonsburg Ops spent time in hazard in Whitesburg and not county.

My heart breaks and images I'm saying and I hope it gets cleaned up and we can figure out some way too not have the slides again.

Yeah.

>> Here here and our thoughts definitely are with them.

You know, we're just a week away from the heat and western Kentucky and the heat on that stage as well.

And so we're going to hear a lot of red meat rhetoric and I'm sure abortion will be a part of what we hear.

>> Yeah, you're right.

I think they're that the abortion.

Well, we'll definitely one of those topic.

That is the best.

I mean, do you have to remember that there are now more registered Republicans in the state of Kentucky that there are a Democrat.

>> And I'm I'm not really been that Republican women are going to you know, beat down the polls.

If they make sure that abortion is illegal.

I don't think that that that the data really support that.

I will say that there's a lot of issues that will be on the table, including abortion.

Air force will you know, fostering for governor on the Republican side.

And we're going to be all of that for You know, Republicans are going to be looking for a candidate that can stand up to Andy Beshear and general election and somebody has a vision for Kentucky's future.

I think they'll be a lot of that.

And, you know, ultimately Fancy Farm and is one of those things where you can't win an election and the farm.

But you can certainly and a good launch pad going forward for for impact and for messaging with people and you're going to have to whoever's is that was going to win you have is going to elections going to have to really think about how did they use that as a launch pad?

We're messaging authentic way and in ways that reverberate across the state of Kentucky.

>> Current governor Andy Beshear's taking a pass is going to be an Israeli said it's not a personal vacation that he will meet with other governors and other across the globe.

And so is he making a misstep here by not being there and having Colmon Eldridge, who is the chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party be his proxy.

>> No, not at all.

I don't think anybody can question this administration's duty and effort and the time and hard work they put into western Kentucky they're always in western Kentucky and they've been there 20 times since the tornado.

They've been there 44 individual times and and recently, you know, they're going to be there and not Monday in Western Kentucky.

And so I think that, Andy, they're going to be governor sure about worked previously with him for his governor or attorney general Governor Beshear to say that he's, you know.

That it's a mistake for him not to go.

It's just not it's not accurate in all.

It is just politics.

>> Well, we appreciate you both being with us today.

Jared Smith and Abby Piper and I will be checking in with you down at the farm for Fancy Farm just next week on that first Saturday in August, bring the Suns in grand some water and the Martin right.

Haha.

♪ >> Many families struggle to find affordable housing and the December tornadoes only increase that hardship and some Kentucky communities this week in Bowling Green Habitat for Humanity hosted the BG Strong blitz, build as it begins to build 10 new homes in 10 weeks.

>> You need the other >> I'm very happy.

I'm coming for getting help people to help me build a This town house is really nice.

I'm excited to have my own name on my own house.

>> I'm excited.

I mean, my neighbors, I'm I'm very optimistic for this journey.

>> We have all of these houses going up in 5 days, which is incredible.

It's the biggest build that we've ever done here locally.

>> Right now we've been working on doing the trust, says unlike the the roof stuff of the building down here, we've been just nailing a bunch of put up the drywall and stuff in the House.

>> They're signing up in agreeing that they're going to put some work hours into helping volunteer hours.

So it's been helping build their own home.

>> With the storms and tornadoes and destruction from December.

I wanted to I was so happy to be part of this team to get to come to an end this week helping any way I can fight this website or a loved one is much bigger.

>> That really does take a and it's clear in this.

There are people who are working on construction.

There are people who are helping check volunteers in first >> it one point time we've all experienced loss and when you can come in and help somebody else despite forth.

>> I'm really pleased to see how many volunteers came out.

We have new volunteers every day.

So many people came from out of state to help.

And that has been wonderful to see now that some of the houses that are ahead of others are hopping over to.

>> Help us who are a little bit behind.

>> There are families that have had wearable circumstances, families that were affected by the tornado in December that are included in this there are several children moving into these houses.

Apparently they're all girls and they're going to be a bunch of kids running up and down this red pretty soon.

And I can imagine how that must feel to have.

I'm not a not only a neighborhood where they can raise their families but the safe secure houses that we put so much time into building.

>> I'm excited to see the final bill.

I'm excited to see the families get their home.

It's amazing that you've got people from all walks of life out here that are volunteer just out of their own personal time to come out, help.

>> For me housing so important, it's kind of the faces of.

Happiness in any person's life.

>> We have big goals.

We want to build as many homes as we can.

>> We've never actually own their own home before.

This is going to be a step in the right direction for us.

We're really excited to get her life started here.

♪ >> Kudos to them for building more than just homes, but a brighter future.

So you want to take a hike or sit back and watch some turtles so begins.

Has a look at what's around the Commonwealth.

♪ >> They're creepy and they're kooky and they're in Bowling Green this Friday and Saturday.

Join The Addams Family and this musical comedy is they take on one of the family's biggest challenge is trying to cope with Wednesday falling in love with someone from a seemingly normal family.

The murder.

And Mary Lynn Troop is back this time in Pike Bull with another fist full of bullets.

>> Big black.

The race favorite is ready to take home the crown.

But there are many who will do anything and everything they can to stop the thoroughbred from racing.

From horse racing to racing the snap and chaplain Turtle Derby is this Saturday in Parryville adopt your pick from the 2000 turtles and share them on to victory with food trucks, vendors, music and more.

You won't want to miss this race.

Whether you consider yourself a professional hiker or an amateur.

The 2020 to hike up on is for everyone.

This event in Pine Bill happens one Saturday a month through November.

This month's hike is an easy 2 and a half miles on the Pinnacle.

K*** Fire Tower Trail.

>> The annual hiking series highlights some of the best high southeastern Kentucky has to offer.

Gourds galore in Wickliffe Mounds.

Is this Saturday and Wycliff put your crafting skills to the test as you learn to make either a gourd birdhouse or an egg gourd ornament in this fun family workshop.

>> Come celebrate the creativity of Kentucky ends at the coming tonight.

Bizarre this Saturday, 8 drink and shop local vendors all while enjoying entertainment throughout the night.

>> Daniel Henry County Harbor showcases this Saturday in Newcastle, buy local produce honey flowers and crafts and enjoy a delicious homegrown breakfast and lunch.

The event also has live entertainment.

A petting zoo and pony rides.

Joining the 9th annual Moonlight Bike Ride in Paducah this Saturday.

Check out your bikes with glow in the dark blank and enjoy live entertainment as you let might be.

Your guide on this easy 10 mile ride >> Grammy-winning singer songwriter Melissa Etheridge is in Ashland this Sunday as part of her one way out tour fans will hear old favorites hits from Etheridge is new album and even some unreleased songs from early in her career.

And that's what's going on around the Commonwealth.

I'm Toby Gibbs.

>> A lot of great stuff to do.

So make it a good one.

KET is coverage of the Eastern Kentucky flooding will continue on Monday will bring you up to date on cleanup and rescue efforts.

The latest on the floods in eastern Kentucky.

That's Monday on Kentucky edition.

We hope you'll join us again Monday night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky edition where we inform connect and inspire.

We invite you to subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition, e-mail news letter and watch full episodes and clips.

Okay, T Dot Org and you can also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

And welcome to follow KD on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the loop.

>> And follow me on Twitter at Renee K E T as well.

Thank you so very much for watching.

Have a great weekend and we'll see you again Monday night.

Take account.

♪