Appalachian Floods Kill At Least 16

JACKSON, Ky. (AP) – At least 16 people have died amid record floods in Kentucky.

Search and rescue teams backed by the National Guard are looking in flooded Appalachian communities for missing people.

The floodwaters have wiped out entire communities in some of the poorest places in America.

Kentucky’s governor said he expected the death toll to grow.

The Kentucky River crested 6 feet above its previous record. Entire towns that hug creeks and streams in narrow valleys were swallowed up.

The water swept vehicles into useless piles, crunched runaway equipment against bridges and swamped homes and businesses.

Mudslides on steep slopes have left many people marooned and without power, making rescues difficult.