Area residents woke Friday morning to widespread flooding and reports of numerous street and road closures that officials warned motorists should not attempt to cross.
Total rainfall Wednesday through Saturday in Hopkinsville was 13.74 inches, according to the Mesonet site.
Officials urge caution
First-responders in Hopkinsville and Christian County pulled several people and pets from flooded homes, businesses and vehicles during the day as local officials were making plans to get through the rest of the weekend with more rain in the forecast.
Christian County Emergency Manager Randy Graham said 4 to 6 additional inches of rain predicted for the weekend could create a “life-threatening flood.”
During a news conference shortly after lunch at the Holiday Inn, Graham said an emergency shelter was set up at St. John Methodist Church, 2808 S. Virginia St., for individuals who had to leave their homes. The church can accommodate 100 people, and local hotels are providing more space as needed, he said.
Hopkinsville Fire Chief Steve Futrell said firefighters, police, sheriff’s deputies and Christian County Rescue Team members responded to more than 20 emergency calls by 1:30 p.m. Friday. No one was seriously injured, he said.
Firefighters and rescue team members got more than 40 animals from Pet Lodge on North Main Street. One dog did not survive, said Futrell.
Officials urged residents to stay at home if they are safe there. States of emergency were declared in Hopkinsville and Christian County, and President Donald Trump approved Kentucky’s request for an emergency declaration.
- FLOOD PHOTOS: See more of Hoptown Chronicle’s flood photos
“Everybody thinks they are OK to get out now and go sight-see, but you are not because we are still responding to these emergencies,” said Futrell. “Please be careful. Do not drive around barricades.”
Mayor James R. Knight Jr. and others urged residents to stay away from flooded areas — especially streets that have barricades.
“If the water is over the road, I’ll say it again — please turn around, don’t drown,” said Knight. “That water is moving faster than anyone is thinking right now.”
Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam said several regional and state agencies are providing help with manpower and materials, including the Tennessee Valley Authority and Fort Campbell’s Garrison Command.
“Just because the sun is out, we are not out of the woods,” said Gilliam. “….We are looking at record-level flooding, so we want everyone to be safe.”
Downtown swamped
A large pond covered downtown’s central intersection at Ninth and Main streets, where Southern Exposure owner Tony Kirves arrived early this morning in hopes of minimizing the damage at his photo studio.
Kirves estimated he had 4 feet of water in his basement. At midmorning he was sand-bagging two entrances to the corner building to keep as much water as possible from flowing into the main floor.
“I’m trying to barricade the front and the side,” he said.
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Kirves has been in the downtown building for more than 30 years, and this is not his first experience with flooding. Little River is two blocks from his location.
The worst flood was in 1997, he said, when floodwater was 2 to 3 feet deep on the main floor.
Other business owners on Main Street were also stacking sandbags at building entrances.
The Hopkinsville Municipal Center and other non-essential city services are closed Friday. In addition, Hopkinsville Community College is operating remotely. Local schools were already closed for spring break.
Additional closures include:
- Christian County Clerk’s Office, closed
- Christian County Justice Center, closing at noon
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reported these Christian County road closures at 6:15 p.m.:
- I-169 between the 5-11 mile points
- U.S. 41 between the 11-11.4 mile points
- U.S. 41 between the 12.1-12.3 mile points
- US 41 between the 14-14.2 mile points
- US 41 between the 24-24.5 mile points
- U.S. 41A between 15.2-15.9 mile points
- KY 107 between the 18.1-18.6 mile points
- KY 109 between the 10.9-11.1 mile points
- KY 164 between the 9.4-9.6 mile points near Newstead Road
- KY 117 between the 15.8-18.9 mile points (NEW)
- KY 272 between the 6.8-6.9 mile points near Square Deal Grocery
- KY 272 between the 7.3-8.2 mile points
- KY 345 between the 9.2-10.6 mile points
- KY 380 between the 2.6-2.8 mile points (NEW)
- KY 400 between the 0-1.3 mile points
- KY 695 between 0-10 mile points
- KY 1338 between the 3-4.4 mile points
Hopkinsville Public Works reported these street closures at 7 a.m.:
- Sanderson Dr. near 1000 Block
- North Drive at West Second Street
- West Ninth Street at Bethel Street
- Riverfront Drive at West Fifth Street
- East Seventh Street between South Clay Street and South Campbell Street
- Donna Drive between Karen and Mark drives
- Dawn Drive
- Oakhurst and Hurst drives
- West Riverwood Drive
- South Riverwood Drive
- Woodmill Road
- East 21st Street at Woodmill Road
- Pardue Lane (High Water)
- North Sunset Circle (High Water)
- Pyle Lane at Foxfield Road (High Water)
- Canton Pike from Country Club to Pyle Lane (Power Lines Down)
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
