Severe weather and flooding in early April have resulted in at least 21 fatalities, as reported by the Associated Press. This event was anticipated with accurate forecasts leading up to it, despite challenges faced by the National Weather Service due to budget cuts. From April 1 to April 6, a series of thunderstorms affected areas from the Southern Plains to the Ohio Valley, causing record-breaking rainfall in cities like Memphis, Tennessee (12.37 inches) and Little Rock, Arkansas (11.82 inches).
Localized flooding was widespread, making damage assessments difficult. The Kentucky River reached dangerous levels, nearing records set in the past, although the flood wall built in the 1990s helped protect much of Frankfort from severe damage.
The storm system also produced 109 preliminary tornado reports, with the most active day on April 2, which saw 70 reports, and several tornadoes causing significant damage but not reaching the highest destruction levels. Rescuers have been deployed to assist affected regions, and additional flooding is expected as conditions evolve.
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