Body of KY man missing amid flooding recovered, officials say. Death toll at 3
Officials Monday confirmed they found the body of a Western Kentucky man who was seen in a boat amid floodwaters in McCracken County, bringing the death toll from several days of flooding in the state to three.
The body of Lee Chandler, 27, of LaCenter, was recovered from a flooded area, Kentucky State Police said in a news release Monday afternoon.
Much of the state was reeling Monday from several days of flooding that left many Kentucky rivers approaching record-high crests. The other two confirmed deaths from the flooding were a 74-year-old woman from Nelson County and a 9-year-old boy from Franklin County.
Chandler was last seen around 3:45 p.m. Central Time Sunday on the 8000 block of Elliot Road in Kevil trying to retrieve his boat, according to a release.
Authorities used boats and drones in the search for Chandler, and found his boat some time before locating his body.
The state agency used boats and drones in the search for Chandler. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a news conference Monday morning the search continued at that time, and officials were worried about the outcome.
Earlier, Beshear had asked people to pray.
“Remember, these are all children of God missed by their families and their friends,” Beshear said.
Beshear has reopened a storm relief fund for people who want to support flood victims. Every dollar donated is given to victims, starting with covering funeral expenses.
While the rain has stopped Monday, major flooding is ongoing in many Kentucky communities. Several rivers aren’t projected to recede until later this week, at the earliest.
“I’m asking everybody just be careful,” Beshear said. “Remember, if those waters are receding, it is still dangerous to drive your car through them.”
The Kentucky River in Franklin County crested at 5 a.m. Monday and has receded slightly since then. Beshear said the levees are holding, and the water is receding faster than originally thought.
Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson said at the news conference there were no major incidents overnight Sunday to Monday. However, the city plans to enforce a curfew for the second night in a row Monday night into Tuesday morning.
“I know that’s going to be an inconvenience for some of you in Frankfort. I understand that,” Wilkerson said. “We do appreciate your patience, your understanding during this event.”
Wilkerson also encouraged people to stay away from downtown unless necessary.
“A lot of businesses are closed, governments are closed, there should be no reason to go downtown right now,” Wilkerson said.
There are 538 state roads closed from flood waters, Beshear said. However, the Western Kentucky Parkway in Ohio County and Interstate 65 at mile marker 64 have reopened.
Beshear reminded people to avoid traveling on flooded roads and not to drive around barricades blocking flooded roads.
“If there are barricades, it means it’s not safe. If there is water over the roadway, it means it’s not safe,” Beshear said. “The number one thing that you can do to help us get through the rest of this natural disaster is to turn around and not go through that water.”
There are still 1,788 power outages across the state, according to Beshear. About 1,131 people are without water.
Kentucky State Police has received 15,770 calls for service since the severe weather event began, Beshear said. There are 354 National Guardsmen working across the state to assist flood victims.
Temperatures are projected to plummet Monday night. The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for several communities until at least 10 a.m. Tuesday in anticipation of sub-freezing temperatures in the mid to upper 20s.
Beshear encouraged people dealing with high water to think about finding a shelter, as the cold temperatures and water could be problematic
Fifty-two shelters are open statewide. Forty-five households are sheltering in state parks, 10 in hotels, and 79 in temporary housing units.
“If you’re somewhere that’s very wet, if you’re trying to ride this out in a home that’d had water, tonight could raise concerns of hypothermia,” Beshear said.
This story was originally published April 7, 2025 at 11:28 AM.
