Thousands Homeless In Four-State Area

Rising water inundated entire towns in Kentucky and turned others into islands Monday as flooding kept thousands of people out of their homes across a four-state area.

The bloated Licking River receded slowly Monday, its muddy water still lapping 6 to 8 feet high against the walls and windows of downtown businesses and keeping residents out of their homes.

“We lost everything we had,” said Jimmy Williams, who sat on a chair outside a shelter at a hilltop high school gymnasium, waiting with his dog, Sandy, and his bird, A.J. They were the only things he and his wife could get out of their house when Falmouth was inundated Saturday.

The town was among the hardest hit as flooding forced thousands of people from their homes in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. Twenty deaths were blamed on flooding and tornadoes - including many who drowned or were washed from their cars - in addition to the 24 tornado deaths in Arkansas.