At least four people have died in flash floods across Kentucky following days of heavy rain and thunderstorms, prompting Gov; Andy Beshear to declare a state of emergency, according to NBC News and other reports. Despite the severity of the weather, the relatively low death toll has led some to refer to the event as the ‘least dead’ in a series of recent major flooding incidents in the U.S.

Details of the Fatalities

In Madison County, three adults died in the flooding, county Coroner Jimmy Cornelison said. Their identities have not been publicly released. One of the three was a man killed in a weather-related car accident. The other two, a man and a woman, were found dead in a flooded basement, according to the coroner. All three were aged roughly 40 to 59. Another victim was extracted from a vehicle trapped in floodwaters on Tates Creek Road near Lexington, the coroner’s office said.

Gov. Beshear said on social media that three people had died in Madison County and one in Jackson County due to the flooding. He warned residents not to drive after dark and urged them to stay safe. “We know we’ve already lost at least a handful of Kentuckians. I don’t want to lose any more. Be safe, everyone,” he said in a video message.

Rescue Efforts and Damage

As of Sunday, over 60 rescues and evacuations had been conducted, according to the governor’s office. Beshear said the state is still in the search and rescue phase and is also working to assess damage in order to request federal assistance. “People have lost their homes and so much more, and this type of support will be essential as we work to recover and rebuild together,” he said.

Heavy rain brought up to eight inches of rain in some parts of the state. Some counties were hit with a record amount of rain in a short period of time. Beshear’s office said up to 7 inches of rain were expected in parts of the state through the late evening. Search and rescue teams were going door to door in hard-hit areas, with some roads still inaccessible due to flooding. He also said at least 12 state roads were “out of commission” because they were flooded.

Among the areas affected was the Million Bible Church on Tates Creek Road in Richmond, which was destroyed by the inclement weather.

State Response and Warnings

Beshear urged Kentuckians to keep the 911 lines open for emergency situations only. If they needed to call for a non-emergency situation, he asked them to use the State Warning Point line at 1-800-255-2587. He also issued a warning about driving conditions, saying that “significant roads underwater” in Madison County were a major concern.

Five counties—Bullitt, Madison, Meade, Mercer, and Spencer—declared a local state of emergency. Severe weather is expected to continue until 11 p.m. Saturday, according to the FOX 56 Weather Authority. State and local authorities are asking drivers to remain alert while on the roads and to stay home unless necessary.

This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 56 News for updates.