Officials say 4 dead, several still missing after Midwest floods

LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 15 (UPI) -- Severe weather in the Midwest this week continues to have deadly consequences, as officials in Kentucky and Indiana said Wednesday that two more people have died there.

Two people had previously been reported dead in Kentucky, which was pummeled by heavy rains and subsequent flash flooding this week. Wednesday, another person was found dead in Kentucky and another in Indiana -- bringing the storm's total death toll to four.

Officials said the victims' ages were 22, 56, 67, and 74. Three of the victims were men and one a woman, NBC News reported.

NBC affiliate WLEX-TV in Lexington, Ky., also said five people remain unaccounted for. The third body found Wednesday was among those previously reported missing, officials reportedly said.

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear declared a state of emergency Wednesday to give state money and resources to authorities. Officials said downed power lines in Johnson County, about 100 miles east of Lexington, were making the search more difficult.

About 150 homes have so far been destroyed by the flash floods and hundreds more are damaged, NBC News' report said. To the east, the severe weather has blasted parts of West Virginia, as well -- where officials closed a stretch of Highway 82.

"I think it goes without saying, the longer we go without having contact with people, it doesn't bode well," Kentucky State Police Captain Sean Welch said.

"People we're meeting, everyone almost is crying," said Steven Penix, a trustee with First United Methodist Church. "It's something you just can't explain until it happens. Seeing them hurt makes us hurt."

Dozens of troops from the National Guard are assisting in the search operation, WLEX-TV reported, and about 50 rescues were performed within a 24-hour period.

Severe storms also ripped through Fleming County, Ky., leveling mobile homes late Tuesday. In one of the storms, two adults and two children suffered minor injuries in what may have been a tornado. In Cookeville, Tenn., a tornado caused structural damages and downed trees.

Downed trees and power lines stretched from Ohio to Georgia, with flooding in areas that also include West Virginia. A funnel cloud was spotted near West Almond, N.Y.

Scattered severe thunderstorms are also expected from North Dakota southward into northern Kansas. Areas of Kentucky are likely to see fewer storms in the coming days, but they may rev up again by the weekend.