Severe weather emergency declarations in Arkansas, Kentucky
A severe weather outbreak has caused hazardous conditions and led to emergency declarations in Arkansas and Kentucky.
Historic levels of flooding have resulted in at least four fatalities, according to The Courier-Journal in Louisville. More than 1 foot of rain fell in five different counties, according to the National Weather Service.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said more than 450 road closures were in place as of Tuesday, April 8. Not all rivers had crested, and crews continued to place barricades and to detour traffic around high water and mudslides, state officials said.
As the rain has gone away, we are now able to get a clearer picture at the toll it caused. Take a look at how our crews are responding to historic flooding.#TeamKentucky pic.twitter.com/LprSQpyqL2
— Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (@KYTC) April 7, 2025
Missouri officials also recently issued an emergency order, with flooding a major concern in portions of the state.
The declaration in Arkansas noted that “weather-related damage includes numerous downed power lines, creating the need for commercial vehicles to haul heavy equipment, oversized loads, transformers, necessary hardware and other transmission and distribution equipment to line crews for the purpose of restoring power.”
Relief is granted but not limited to utility vehicles, bucket trucks and electric utility supply trucks responding to storms and related damage.
Emergency response vehicles are permitted to bypass weight station facilities through April 16. This does not include vehicles requiring a permit to operate on Arkansas roadways. The relief applies only to weigh stations and vehicles traveling in convoy.
Size and weight restrictions remain in place.
On Monday, April 7, the Arkansas Department of Transportation said approximately 70 roads remained closed because of flooding. LL
🚧 As of Monday morning, there are still around 70 road closures due to high water levels. Ten of those roads have sustained damage and are currently being assessed by repair crews. Take a closer look at this weekend’s floodwaters from various areas across Arkansas. pic.twitter.com/6Et1paWcOJ
— Arkansas Department of Transportation (@myARDOT) April 7, 2025