Kentucky in State of Emergency After Heavy Rainfall Causes Widespread Flooding

Kentucky’s governor declared an emergency Wednesday after heavy -- and potentially record-setting – rain caused widespread flooding throughout the state.

The western town of Mayfield saw 11.28 inches of rain from early Wednesday to 1 p.m., the National Weather Service in Paducah said.

If verified, that would establish a new 24-hour rainfall record for the state, the service said. The record heading into Wednesday was 10.48 inches of rain, set in Louisville in 1997, the weather service said.

‘An incredible amount of water in a very short duration unfortunately,’ the weather service said.