SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Floodwaters in Bullitt County, Kentucky, have left widespread damage after the Salt River crested early Monday morning.
Floodwaters have inundated streets, homes, and properties across the area, with many areas submerged for the first time in years.
In downtown Shepherdsville, much of the street is covered by floodwater. Residents are forced to deal with rising water levels that began after several days of heavy rainfall. While the river crested this morning, local officials say it will take time for conditions to improve.
Kristie Lyons, a local resident, described how her front yard now resembles something closer to a pond or river.
“Lots of flooding. Lots of flooding. We haven’t seen it come up like this before,” Lyons said. Her yard, typically dry, is now submerged.
“Earlier yesterday morning, you could see grass and we could see our driveway. As the day went on, it just kept coming up,” Lyons added.
The flooding has affected many other parts of the county, like Highway 44, west of Shepherdsville.
Crystal Sandoval was hoping to deliver mail on her typical postal route Monday, but was forced to turn around when she saw that a particular section of 44 was completely covered with water.
“We can’t get down there at all,” Sandoval said. “It sucks. I’m sure there are people upset about not getting packages, but we’re doing what we can do. My regular that runs this route, she lives right over there, and she’s flooded in to where she can’t even get here today. She’s over off Wilderness and it’s completely flooded.”
From Highway 44 and Shepherdsville to Lebanon Junction, the flooding is as bad as it’s been since 1997.
The threat of how high the water might get over the weekend forced county leaders to evacuate the Bullitt County Detention Center.
According to Jailer Bryan Whittaker, 252 inmates were transported from the jail to detention centers in Hardin County, Grayson County, Nelson County and the Louisville Metro Department Corrections.
Luckily, water never entered the facility, and the inmates will be brought back once officials determine it’s safe.
“It’ll take a few days for the water level to drop, but as it does drop, we’ll start seeing more roadways back open,” said Jon Waters, deputy director of Bullitt County Emergency Management.
Luckily, no one was hurt in Bullitt County. Emergency Management, with help from the National Guard, completed nearly 100 water rescues over the course of the weekend.
“Makes you anxious,” Waters added. “You know, I’m from Lebanon Junction, and so seeing that area be hit as hard as it was, makes you worried about, you know, your hometown, but I knew it was in good hands.”
Until the water level recedes enough for cleanup efforts to begin, Bullitt County residents are just glad to be okay.
“We were kind of getting a little scared, me and my son, but today it’s just relief,” Lyons said.
Some Bullitt County families did choose to evacuate their homes, and a few schools were opened as shelters. The Red Cross has been providing support.
