The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Source:  Fox News

Posted: Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:35 PM

Severe Storms, Flooding Rains, Tornadoes Kill 3 In South Central, Midwestern States

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin said late Saturday two people died in the western part of state due to "severe weather events" as the storm that also included strong winds, hail and heavy rain slammed the region.

"Please take weather watches/warnings seriously, and stay safe," Bevin said on Twitter.

In rural, south central Kentucky, 79-year-old Dallas Jane Combs died after a suspected tornado hit her Adairville home Saturday evening, Logan County Sheriff's Department told television station WKRN. Sheriff officials said Combs was inside the home when it collapsed on her. Combs was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities say Combs' husband was outside the house when the unconfirmed tornado hit and he sustained minor injuries.

In northeast Arkansas, an 83-year-old man was killed after high winds toppled a trailer home. Clay County Sheriff Terry Miller said in a Facebook post that Albert Foster died Saturday night after the home was blown into a pond in Knobel.

Storm-related damage also was reported in Middle Tennessee, where FOX17 in Nashville reported extensive damage to homes and vehicles. FOX17 said at least a dozen homes were damaged in one Montgomery County subdivision.

The storms were caused by a system associated with a cold front moving east, which caused flood watches and warnings to be issued across multiple states as of Sunday morning, while a wind advisory remained in effect for nearly all of Lower Michigan. Heavy rain also spread into the Northeast, which caused greater flooding fears.

"It's right along that line we've seen the most rain activity here throughout the weekend," Fox News Meteorologist Adam Klotz said Sunday on "FOX & Friends Weekend."

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens signed an executive order earlier Saturday declaring a state of emergency ahead of the anticipated storms and flooding in parts of southern Missouri. The order activates the resources of the Missouri National Guard and ensures state resources are available in the event of weather damage.

A levee breach along the Kankakee River in northwestern Indiana had local officials urging about 30 homeowners to evacuate.

The Ohio River is expected to reach 60.6 feet in Cincinnati by Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.

The expected river crest would easily make it the worst flooding Greater Cincinnati has seen since March 5, 1997, when the river hit 64.7 feet, FOX19 reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.