Flooding in Louisville prompts more than 100 water rescues
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Authorities in Louisville, Kentucky, made more than 100 water rescues early Friday as area storms flooded roads and prompted at least one evacuation.
Louisville MetroSafe spokeswoman Jody Duncan says 116 water rescues had been made since 1 a.m. Friday.
There was also a mandatory evacuation for the first floor of an apartment building, Duncan said. Elsewhere, a mudslide had blocked a road and dozens of others were barricaded due to high water.
Meanwhile, Jefferson County Public Schools and Bullitt County schools canceled classes Friday due to the inclement weather and flooding, CBS affiliate WLKY reports. Dozens of roadways were closed due to high waters, the station reported.
Duncan told The Associated Press the area had gotten 6 inches of rain overnight but no injuries were reported.
"We also want to remind everyone to turn around and don't drown," she said. "It might look like a small amount of water, but it's not. A lot of these places have very high water and people are getting stuck in that water because they're thinking it's not that high."
The National Weather Service says a flash flood warning was in effect Friday morning for north central Kentucky.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service plans to send a survey team to Ottawa County, Oklahoma where there are reports of a tornado touchdown.
The possible tornado near Afton was part of a storm system that moved through northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas late Thursday and early Friday. Weather service meteorologist Joe Sellers in Tulsa said there are reports of damaged buildings as winds reached 60 to 70 miles per hour and golf ball-sized hail fell in the region.
There have been no reports of injury.
Sellers said Friday will remain windy through the morning with cooler temperatures in the 60s expected, however a tornado watch was issued in northern Arkansas for an area from east of Fayetteville to the Tennessee state line through midmorning.