Northeastern Kentucky faced a harrowing night as floods wreaked havoc, resulting in a devastating loss of life. The Nicholas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the unfortunate passing of Rosa Rowland, a 52-year-old resident living on West Headquarters Road in Nicholas County.
During the relentless floods, Rowland sought help through a distress call to Carlisle Police Dispatch from her home. Despite the rapid response from emergency responders, including the Nicholas County Sheriff’s Office, Nicholas County Fire Department, and Nicholas County Search & Rescue, their efforts were thwarted by impassable floodwaters and downed power lines.
Heartbreakingly, when responders finally reached the area, Rowland’s home had been completely washed away by the unforgiving floodwaters, as stated by the Nicholas County Coroner’s Office. Tragically, she was swept away from her residence by the force of the flood. Her lifeless body was discovered the next morning, about three-quarters of a mile downstream from her former home.
Located approximately 40 miles northeast of Lexington, Nicholas County experienced an intense rainfall of 5 to 6 inches during that fateful night. This calamity comes as the state commemorates the one-year anniversary of another devastating flood in eastern Kentucky, which claimed the lives of nearly 40 individuals.