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Kentucky flooding death toll reaches 15 and may double, governor says

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The death toll from catastrophic flooding in eastern Kentucky has reached 15 people. 

Gov. Andy Beshear told The Associated Press on Friday that the number is expected to more than double and would “include some children.”

Search and rescue teams backed by the National Guard looked tirelessly for missing people – in helicopters and boats – and Beshear noted that determining the number of people who remain unaccounted for is “tough.”

Over 200 have sought shelter and more than 23,000 Kentucky residents were still without power. 

KENTUCKY FLOODING KILLS 8, DEATH TOLL EXPECTED TO HIT DOUBLE DIGITS, GOVERNOR SAYS

According to tracker PowerOutage.US, 23,185 customers were affected following the deadly floodwaters and mudslides that damaged hundreds of homes and vehicles. 

In a tweet, Beshear warned that central and eastern Kentucky remain under a flood watch. 

  • Aerial view of homes submerged under flood waters from the North Fork of the Kentucky River in Jackson, Kentucky, on July 28, 2022.  (LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)

  • A home is almost completely submerged by floodwaters from the North Fork of the Kentucky River in Jackson, Kentucky on July 28, 2022.  (LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)

  • Homes along Gross Loop off of KY-15 are flooded with water from the North Fork of the Kentucky River. (Arden S. Barnes/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

  • A man walks with water up to his knees on the street flooded by the North Fork of the Kentucky River in Jackson, Kentucky on July 28, 2022.  (LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)

“While rain totals are not expected to be as high, flooding still remains a concern due to saturated grounds. Please stay safe and alert, Kentucky,” he wrote. 

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Jackson tweeted that the area would see a “decent break” from Friday night and into Saturday. 

KENTUCKY FLOODING: AT LEAST 3 DEAD, HUNDREDS OF HOMES COULD BE DESTROYED, GOV. BESHEAR SAYS

“More rain and storms arrive Sunday through Tuesday, with heavy rainfall possible Sunday and Monday,” it said. 

  • Members of the Morehead Fire Department conduct search and rescue operations downtown on July 28, 2022, in Jackson, Kentucky.  (Michael Swensen/Getty Images)

  • Lewis Ritchie, pulls a kayak through the water after delivering groceries to his father-in-law on July 28, 2022, outside Jackson, Kentucky.  (Michael Swensen/Getty Images)

  • A bridge and a road are submerged by floodwaters from the North Fork of the Kentucky River in Jackson, Kentucky on July 28, 2022.  (LEANDRO LOZADA/AFP via Getty Images)

  • A member of the Jackson Fire Department reacts outside his vehicle downtown on July 28, 2022, in Jackson, Kentucky.  (Michael Swensen/Getty Images)

The area had already been hit by days of torrential rain and parts of western Virginia and southern West Virginia were also impacted by flooding.

More than 7,500 outages were also shown in Virginia on Friday.

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Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency for six counties in West Virginia after severe thunderstorms this week caused significant local flooding.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Julia Musto is a reporter for Fox News Digital. You can find her on Twitter at @JuliaElenaMusto.