At least 10 people, including eight in Kentucky, have died as severe storms swept across the eastern U.S., causing flooding, powerful winds, downed trees, and widespread power outages, officials said Sunday.
Brutally cold weather is expected to hit much of the country later in the week.
"I'm heartbroken to share we've lost at least 8 people to this storm," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said on X. "And remember, the severe weather continues."
He said the number of fatalities was likely to increase.
In addition, one person died in the southern city of Atlanta, Georgia. The victim was killed when an "extremely large" tree fell on his house early Sunday, local fire official Scott Powell told local media.
Most of the dead in Kentucky, Beshear said in an earlier news conference, drowned when trapped in their vehicles by fast-rising floodwaters. The victims included a mother and her child.
The governor, who has declared a state of emergency, urged people to stay off the roads.
Emergency crews carried out more than 1,000 rescues in Kentucky alone, with 19 swift-water teams deployed across multiple counties.
Noting that all 120 counties in the state have been impacted, Beshear said two nursing homes had to be evacuated, including one where 100 patients were relocated by state police.
In response to the unfolding disaster, Beshear declared a state of emergency and requested federal assistance.
The storm was blowing up from the South and into the U.S. Northeast, a region struck in recent weeks by a succession of extreme cold, snow, rain and powerful winds.
More than 500,000 customers were without power Sunday from the South through New York state, according to the monitoring website poweroutage.us.
The National Weather Service predicted the center of the country would be hit this week by a mass of extremely cold Arctic air, bringing record temperatures that could hit brutal lows – even -51 degrees celsius (-60 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Plains states near the Canadian border.
President Donald Trump approved the emergency disaster declaration late Saturday, unlocking federal funds for rescue and recovery efforts.
Other states across the South and Northeast also reported significant damage.
In Tennessee, residents of a nursing home in Macon County were evacuated as waters rose dangerously close to the facility.
Tornadoes touched down in Mississippi and Alabama, damaging homes and infrastructure.
The severe weather brought heavy snowfall to the Northeast, with Burlington, Vermont, receiving 8.5 inches of snow, while Boston recorded 5.4 inches.
Wind gusts reached up to 114 kph (71 mph) in Atlanta, where a person died after a tree fell on their home.
Virginia and West Virginia also faced significant flooding, prompting local officials to issue evacuation orders.
"Multiple areas of the town are currently experiencing flooding, with the river expected to rise even higher," the Richlands Police Department in Virginia said in a statement, urging residents to leave immediately.
Forecasters warned of continued flood risks, with swollen rivers likely to remain above critical levels in the coming days.
The National Weather Service (NWS) extended a flash flood emergency for several counties in West Virginia and southwestern Virginia, calling the situation "extremely dangerous and life-threatening."
As search-and-rescue efforts continued, officials urged residents to remain vigilant.
"Stay home if you can," the Simpson County Office of Emergency Management in Kentucky advised. Floodwaters can rise quickly, and driving through them can be fatal, it warned.
