'We’re Going To Be Finding Bodies For Weeks' —​ 37 Now Dead In Kentucky Floods

KENTUCKY — The death toll rose to 37 on Monday in the wake of historic floods in eastern Kentucky, which the governor described as “devastating” and “unimaginable,” according to AccuWeather.

“With the level of water, we’re going to be finding bodies for weeks,” Gov. Andy Beshear told NBC.

Emergency responders, some using aircrafts and boats, had rescued more than 1,400 people over the past several days, AccuWeather reported. President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration and federal aid to assist, and a relief fund established by the state received nearly $700,000 in donations as of Saturday.

Massive challenges persisted, however, with over 12,000 customers without power Monday morning, water outages continuing days after the floods, and heavy rain and flash flood warnings complicating rescue efforts Sunday and Monday, according to AccuWeather.

Amid the chaos were stories of human tragedy and resilience.

Four siblings, ranging in age from 1 to 8, were swept from their parents' arms by a strong tide as the family clung to a tree for hours after their Montgomery home was washed out by the water, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. The parents, Amber Smith and Riley Noble, were rescued after eight hours in the tree, but their children, Maddison, Riley Jr., Nevaeh and Chance, all died, the Herald-Leader reported.

In Wolfe County, an 83-year-old woman underwent a harrowing rescue. She was trapped in an attic until emergency personnel broke a window, and brought her and four others to a roof to be hoisted by what appeared to be a rope or cord toward a helicopter, a video from Wolfe County Search & Rescue Team shows.

A social media post from a concerned grandaughter that included a photo of 98-year-old Mae Amburgey amid 4 feet of water helped bring boats to the Letcher County house, according to the Herald-Leader. Amburgey and her son, who is in his 70s, were swept away while swimming toward the boats and had to be hospitalized, but survived.

Eva Nicole Slone, a 50-year-old grandmother who "had the biggest heart," went into the floods in Knott County to make sure an elderly friend was alright and never returned, the Herald-Leader reported. Her body was found Friday.