An emergency declaration for Kentucky was approved on Friday by former President Donald Trump amid dire warnings from meteorologists about a potentially catastrophic flooding event affecting a broad swath of the central United States.

As severe spring storms continue to unleash destructive weather, at least seven fatalities have been reported, with the National Weather Service (NWS) indicating that millions are at risk from Texas to Ohio due to heavy rainfall and tornadoes.

The current storm system, which has persisted for two consecutive days, is anticipated to linger over the Midwest, exacerbating already dangerous conditions with further rainfall and the possibility of additional tornadoes.

The NWS predicts rainfall totals may surpass 10-15 inches in some areas through Sunday, prompting experts to categorize the situation as a generational flooding event, unprecedented in scale.

In Kentucky, local authorities confirmed the recovery of a body from floodwaters, believed to be a juvenile who went missing while walking to a bus stop.

The victim has been identified as nine-year-old Gabriel Andrews.

Emergency services across the state are engaged in recovery and rescue operations as flooding continues to pose a serious threat.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on Friday that federal disaster assistance is now available for Kentucky, enabling the agency to coordinate disaster relief across all 120 counties affected by severe weather, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on April 2.

Currently, the NWS offices are grappling with significant understaffing issues, a situation exacerbated by job cuts during the Trump administration.

Reports indicate that nearly half of the NWS forecast offices are operating with 20% or higher vacancy rates, raising concerns about their capacity to respond effectively to emergency conditions.

Critical staff shortages have been noted at eight offices, including those in the storm-affected states of Arkansas and Kentucky.

The NWS recently logged approximately 75 tornadoes and more than 1,200 severe weather reports as the central region contends with extreme weather.

The agency has issued a level 4 risk designation for the storms, which is notably rare.

Fatalities recorded since the onset of this weather event have included a father and his daughter in Tennessee, with additional fatalities reported across the region.

In Tennessee alone, five people have died in severe weather-related incidents; further casualties include individuals in Indiana and Missouri.

Reports indicate that around 34 tornadoes were documented on Wednesday, with residents experiencing continuous warnings and alerts as the storm system progressed.

Meteorologists expressed alarm over the intensity and duration of rainfall, particularly in regions already saturated by prior storms.

The Ohio River's anticipated cresting at elevated levels is a critical concern for local communities, which are expected to face significant disruptions to daily life.

Severe weather impacts are compounded by broader climatic trends, with the climate crisis prompting increased rainfall and heightened flood risks across many areas of the United States, particularly in the Midwest and Ohio River Valley.

The NWS warns that flash flooding poses life-threatening conditions, prompting the issuance of multiple flash flood warnings across regional areas.

The combination of severe storms and staffing shortages at key forecasting offices raises questions about the preparedness of emergency response systems as the nation grapples with increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.