Floods claim 4 lives in Madison and Jackson counties, statewide emergency declared for Kentucky
At least four fatalities were reported in Madison and Jackson counties as deadly flash floods swept across Kentucky on June 27, 2026. Governor Andy Beshear declared a statewide emergency as forecasts called for additional heavy rain and emergency crews responded to rescues, flooded homes, and damaged infrastructure. Five counties had also declared local States of Emergency.
A car submerged in floodwaters in Richmond, Kentucky on June 27, 2026. Credit: Richmond Police Department
Four people were confirmed dead after slow-moving thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall that caused widespread flash flooding across parts of Kentucky on June 27.
Governor Andy Beshear declared a State of Emergency as severe weather affected much of the Commonwealth, with forecasts indicating up to approximately 180 mm (7 inches) of rainfall in some areas through Saturday night. The Governor urged residents to stay off roadways after dark because of flooding and limited visibility.
Three fatalities were reported in Madison County and one in Jackson County, Beshear reported. Among the three fatalities in Madison County, two people died after drowning in a flooded basement. The third was a man who was swept away in his vehicle on Tates Creek Road.
Richmond Police, Richmond Fire, and Madison County EMS responded to the area of Summit Street and Wellington Court just after 10:00 local time (LT) on Saturday morning for a rescue call.
Multiple residents were located or evacuated from flooded homes. However, emergency personnel could not make contact with anyone in one basement residence that was already underwater.
“Rescue teams were finally able to make entry and found two individuals, one adult male and one adult female, deceased from suspected drowning,” the Richmond Police Department reported.
Search-and-rescue operations continued in flooded neighborhoods as emergency crews conducted door-to-door welfare checks.
“Richmond Fire Department and Madison County emergency crews are currently responding to numerous water rescues across the area due to severe ongoing flooding,” the Richmond Fire Department said.
Bullitt, Madison, Meade, Mercer, and Spencer counties had each declared local States of Emergency. Multiple water rescues were conducted across the affected areas.
A community-wide evacuation was conducted in Bullitt County after a dam failed on Saturday afternoon. “Residents on Cedar Spring Drive off Old Boston Road in Lebanon Junction need to evacuate immediately due to a moderate dam failure at the Rod and Gun Club,” the Bullitt County Emergency Management Agency (BCEMA) said.
“This is a serious and dangerous situation. Do not wait for conditions to worsen. Leave the area now and move to higher ground,” they added.
After the storms began to ease, BCEMA reported that a portion of the embankment had experienced a landslide; however, the dam was still holding with no indication of an imminent failure. Widespread damage was reported due to the storms, with downed trees and flooded roads making travel dangerous.
“Multiple roads throughout Bullitt County are currently closed or impacted due to flooding, washed-out roadways, downed trees, and debris,” BCEMA said.
“Please use extreme caution if you must travel. Do not drive through flooded roadways. Water may be deeper than it appears, the road may be washed out underneath, and conditions can change quickly,” they warned.
Widespread damage with multiple structure collapses is also being reported across the affected counties. However, the full extent of the damage is yet to be surveyed.
The National Weather Service had Flash Flood Warnings in effect for parts of Kentucky and neighboring Indiana, while repeated rounds of heavy rainfall fell over already saturated ground, triggering deadly flooding.
Parts of southwestern Indiana had already recorded between 100 and 250 mm (4–10 inches) of rainfall, leading to widespread flooding on Saturday.
A Flash Flood Emergency was issued for Gibson County, where there were reports of water entering homes and water rescues.
References:
1 Gov. Beshear Declares State of Emergency Due to Widespread Flooding – Kentucky.gov – June 27, 2026
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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