22 hours Ago By [email protected] (Megan Ziegler)
Hopkinsville, Kentucky has already seen extreme flooding with more possible throughout the weekend. FOX Weather's Brandy Campbell joined LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow with a look at conditions. Since Wednesday, more than a foot of rain has now fallen in parts of Kentucky.
Friday morning, a 9-year-old boy died walking to his bus stop when he was caught in rushing floodwater. Flash flood emergencies continued to be issued Saturday across Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Severe weather in parts of the South and Midwest have killed at least nine people as of Saturday.
The threats ranged from tornadoes that destroyed entire neighborhoods to extreme flash flooding. Among those who were killed include a 9-year-old boy from Kentucky . A 9-year-old boy from Kentucky died Friday on his way to school.
He was swept away in floodwaters in Frankfort as he was walking to his bus stop around 6:30 a.m., according to Frankfort Police.
Two hours later, emergency crews recovered his body, police said . Flooding hit parts of northern Kentucky on Friday, April 4. This image was captured by Kali Sanders, the manager of Canoe Kentucky, who said that it shows severe flooding outside of her store in Frankfort.
Credit: Canoe Kentucky via Storyful Local perspective: Frankfort County Schools Superintendent Mark Kopp confirmed the boy, Gabriel Andrews, was a student in the school system. "We are more than a school system, we’re a family," he said, "and we share this loss together." His teacher said on social media that an "important part" of her "classroom was taken from us.
" She called him the "sweetest, kindest boy who was impossible not to love." In her social media post Friday, she said Gabriel "loved basketball and anything to do with a police car, who tried his best at any task given him. Who was a friend to all.
" "Being a teacher means you pour into and love on someone else’s kid like they are your own," she wrote. "And today has been the most heartbreaking day in my teaching career." "My heart breaks for this family," Kentucky Gov Andy Beshear said in a statement.
Big picture view: Gabriel's death sparked questions from some who wondered why the Franklin County school district chose not to cancel in-person classes Friday when strong storms produced flash flooding. Several other school districts in the area canceled classes Friday. Dig deeper: A 74-year-old was also killed in Kentucky’s severe flooding .
The body was found Saturday inside a fully submerged vehicle in Nelson County, authorities said. More severe weather is expected across the South and Midwest after the deadly storm outbreak. Krissy Hurley, the Meteorologist-In-Charge with the National Weather Service in Nashville joined LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow to break down what happens next.
By the numbers: Since Wednesday, more than a foot of rain has now fallen in parts of Kentucky, and more than 8 inches has fallen in parts of Arkansas and Missouri , forecasters said Saturday. Hundreds of roads were impassable Friday because of high water, downed trees or mud and rock slides, and the number of closures were likely to increase with more rain Saturday, said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
What's next: Flash flood emergencies continued to be issued Saturday across Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee , with more heavy rains and damaging winds in the mix. What they're saying: Forecasters attributed the violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf. RELATED: Nearly half of National Weather Service offices critically understaffed, report warns A tornado outbreak is unfolding Wednesday for parts of the lower Mississippi Valley into the mid-South and lower Ohio Valley, including the threat of multiple long-track EF-3 or stronger tornadoes.
Big picture view: Outside of Kentucky, at least seven people were killed as an outbreak of tornadoes destroyed entire neighborhoods, with more twisters possible in places this weekend. At least two reports of observed tornadoes were noted Friday evening in Missouri and Arkansas, according to the NWS. The Source: Information in this article was taken from a Frankfort Police Press Conference that was streamed live on the morning of Friday, April 4, 2025.
Remarks were taken from the police chief and school superintendent. Additional information on the weather in the area was taken from The National Weather Service and The Associated Press. Imagery was contributed by Storyful, a social media licensing agency, and Canoe Kentucky.
This story was reported from Detroit..
