At least 15 killed by winter storms

The deadly toll from the storms that battered the eastern and central part of the country over the weekend continues to mount. Authorities confirmed in the last few hours the deaths of three more people, raising the death toll from 11 to 15. A figure that, they warn, could rise even higher.

Kentucky bore the brunt, with 12 deaths confirmed by its governor, Andy Beshear. "We must remember, this isn’t just a number — these are Kentuckians who will be missed by their families and loved ones," he wrote in communicating the "tough news" on Tuesday.

Beshear declared a state of emergency on Friday, the eve of the onset of flooding that claimed most of the lives in the state. The White House followed suit, making FEMA resources available to the more than 120 counties in the commonwealth.

In less than 24 hours, rescuers rescued more than 1,000 people in the state. Meanwhile, power companies were working to restore power to thousands of users who were still in the dark Monday. Kentucky Power confirmed early Tuesday morning that it had restored service to more than 60% of those affected.

At this hour, authorities are unanimously repeating one message: "Stay off the road." Most of the deaths occurred when the victims were trapped inside their vehicles due to rapidly rising floodwaters, including a mother and her seven-year-old daughter.

Until the water recedes from the roads, the recommendation is simply to avoid them. This Tuesday the National Weather Service (NWS) warned that, even then, drivers should exercise caution throughout the day: "The recent rainfall, snow, and temperatures dropping into the teens tonight may lead to black ice," a thin layer of clear ice that clings to streets and curves and can cause cars to skid. "Be very cautious when driving."

Power outages, tornadoes and flooding

In West Virginia authorities reported another death caused by flooding. Several people are missing. Another person died in Atlanta, Georgia, when a tree fell on his home early Sunday. One more died in Philadelphia, also from a collapsed tree.

Heavy snowfall left ice and flash flooding in the Virginias, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, up through the New England region and even parts of Canada. Alerts were issued in all and power outages were recorded.

In the states of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, tornadoes were recorded. "Along the roadway, numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, along with at least 40 to 50 power poles snapped," described from the local NWS team the damage from the last of three confirmed tornadoes in Macon and Tallapoosa counties.

"A mother and her two kids in one home took shelter in their bathtub, which ended up being the only room in the home that did not sustain major damage," they added and confirmed two injuries at another home, plus "multiple manufactured homes were severely damaged due to large trees."

A dam break on the Obion River, a tributary of the Mississippi, flooded streets in and around the city of Rives, Tennessee. "GET TO HIGH GROUND NOW!" they urged from the local NWS. "This is a LIFE THREATENING situation." Welding fabricator and amateur drone pilot Jacob Fulbright described the flooding in the area as "devastating."

"Ive had tons of residents reach out to see if I could get some footage of their house," he recounted after images taken with his equipment went viral. "It does appear that the water in town has started to recede a little," he commented.

Forecast for the week: cold, rain, snow and ice

The first few days of the week will bring more winter storm. "The bitter cold and winter storm for portions of the central U.S., Ohio Valley, and Tidewater of Virginia and North Carolina continue to threaten those areas over the next few days. Check out our latest key messages for the details," the NWS maintained.

"From Tuesday through Friday, numerous daily records are likely to be broken across the Plains," it stated in its latest forecast outlook Monday. "Sub-freezing temperatures are likely to reach as far south as the Gulf Coast."

"Sub-zero wind chills will likely extend as far south as Texas, Arkansas, and western Tennessee and Kentucky," they warned. In the north-central part of the country, "extreme conditions can cause frostbite within minutes."