Relentless heavy rains have triggered widespread and dangerous flooding across parts of the central United States, exacerbating the devastation already inflicted by a recent outbreak of severe weather. As of Saturday, April 5, 2025, the death toll from the combined impact of tornadoes and flooding has reached at least seven.
The most recent tragedy occurred in Frankfurt, Kentucky, where a 9-year-old boy, Gabriel Andrews, was swept away by floodwaters while walking to a school bus stop on Friday morning. His body was later recovered about a half-mile from where he went missing.
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“My heart breaks for this family,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. “We need everyone to understand that all water poses a risk right now. Let’s do everything possible to keep our loved ones safe.”
Governor Beshear declared a state of emergency for western Kentucky due to the widespread impact of the heavy rainfall. As of Saturday morning, the state reported over 390 road closures due to flooding, mudslides, and rockslides.
“Crews are working hard to get these roadways clear and safe,” Beshear stated. “As rain continues to impact Kentucky, please avoid travel if possible and never drive through water.”
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The floodwaters have inundated towns across a vast region, stretching from Missouri to West Virginia.
In Hopkinsville, Tennessee, officials reported that more than half of the downtown area is submerged, swamping homes and cars. “The main arteries through Hopkinsville are probably 2 feet under water,” Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam told The Associated Press.
“Our office is actually in the middle of it and we were here before the water rose. So there’s only one way we could get out.” Tony Kirves in Hopkinsville desperately tried to protect his photography business using sandbags and a vacuum, describing downtown as “like a lake” to The AP. “We’re holding ground. We’re trying to maintain and keep it out the best we can,” Kirves said.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood emergencies for at least seven cities in Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri on Friday night.
In East St. Louis, floodwaters covered street after street, creating hazardous conditions. “It happened so fast,” resident Laqweashia Moore told local news. “Before I started talking to you all, it wasn’t like this, but all that water came out of nowhere and then we saw flash flooding.”
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About 200 miles southwest of St. Louis, the West Plains Fire Department responded to numerous reports of flooding and trapped motorists on Friday evening.
About 60 miles east of West Plains, the city of Van Buren was also grappling with intense flash flooding. “Please keep Southeastern Missouri in your thoughts tonight as historic and devastating flooding has wreaked havoc over the areas of West Plains, Mountain View and Van Buren which have parts of their towns under water,” the town’s Central Dispatcher Facebook account said, posting a map of dozens of road closures.
Farther south, major flooding is impacting Texarkana, Texas, with numerous flood rescues reported. “Ok, folks. It’s bad out there. We’ve got flooded streets everywhere – and lots more rain on the way,” the Texarkana Police Department posted on Facebook. “Several people have already had to be rescued from their vehicles across the city tonight. We’re just gonna lay it out there…. If you don’t have a darn good reason for being out (like one that involves a visit to the emergency room), please stay home and off the roads!! This is not just another Friday night in Texarkana.”
As of Saturday morning, some locations in Tennessee and Kentucky were nearing double-digit rainfall totals, with more rain expected. The mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys are bracing for two additional rounds of heavy rain, with the most intense rainfall anticipated from Saturday into Saturday night.
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