The Ohio River is expected to crest Tuesday night at historically high levels, exacerbating flooding that has already swamped hundreds of homes, businesses and restaurants in Louisville and other parts of Kentucky.
While heavy rains have moved on, rivers continue to rise, according to news and weather reports. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said at a Tuesday morning news conference that crews have rescued dozens of people from the floodwaters, including more than 60 who were trapped in a hotel that was surrounded by rising waters, according to local news reports.
Riverfront restaurants in the city, hoping for a busy week with the Thunder Over Louisville event, instead were forced to close due to flooding, and the festival was canceled, the Courier-Journal reported.
The floods came after heavy snow in January and flooding in February, all of which caused closures and will likely lead to a spike in business interruption and flood insurance claims in the area. The historic Buffalo Trace Distillery, a maker of sought-after whiskey, closed temporarily this week due to the floodwaters, the Associated Press noted. The site is expected to be shuttered through April 10.
The Frankfort area, on the Kentucky River, also saw flooding this week. In Clarksville, Tennessee, northwest of Nashville, more than 165 homes have been flooded this year, thanks to rainfall that’s almost three times the normal levels, ClarksvilleNow.com reported.
City officials are planning public meetings to explore ways to reduce flooding in the area.
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