Some residents began returning home on Saturday to salvage what they could from destroyed properties.
Officials in eastern Kentucky’s Appalachians said the death toll could rise even further in the worst cases. natural disaster in decades.
Governor Andy Beshear said search and rescue operations were underway, with crews continuing to compete to get to hard-hit places, some of which are among the poorest places in America.
Among the residents affected was Phillip Michael Caudill, who worked Saturday to recover what he could from his home in the small community of Wayland.
“We just hope we can get some help,” said Mr. Caudill, who is currently staying with relatives.
Mr Caudill is a firefighter in the nearby Garrett community and went out around 1am on Thursday. He then had to ask to leave around 3 a.m. so that he could go home, where the water was rising rapidly.
“That made it so difficult for me,” he said.
“Here I am, watching my house submerge in water and you have people begging for help. And I couldn’t help it.”
A submerged house is seen in a flood-affected area, in Breathitt County, Kentucky
/ via REUTERSHubert Thomas, 60, and his cousin Harvey, 37, said they feared the damage to their home was beyond repair.
Thomas, a retired miner, said all his savings had been invested in his house.
State Governor Mr Beshear said: “We continue to pray for the families who have suffered an unfathomable loss.
“Some have lost almost everyone in their household.”
He said the number was likely to rise significantly and it could take weeks to find all victims of the record flooding.
Crews have made more than 1,200 rescues from helicopters and boats, the governor said.
“I’m afraid we’ll find bodies in the coming weeks,” he said during a briefing on Saturday.
The rain stopped early Friday after parts of eastern Kentucky received between 8 and 10 1/2 inches of rain for 48 hours.
President Joe Biden has declared a federal disaster to send aid funds to more than a dozen counties in Kentucky.