AP PHOTOS: Swollen rivers flood towns in the US South and Midwest
AP PHOTOS: Swollen rivers flood towns in the US South and Midwest
Camp Turn-A-Bout is flooded by the rising Ohio River at the Gunpowder Creek, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Union, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Carole Smith walks through her flooded home on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
The rising Ohio River partially submerges the bronze statue of James Bradley along Riverside Drive, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Covington, Ky. Cincinnati and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge are seen across the Ohio River. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
A Canada goose swims in the rising Ohio River at the intersection of River Riverside Place and Ben Bernstein Place, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Covington, Ky., across the river from Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Kayakers paddle on the floodwaters at the Buffalo Trace Distillery on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
William Fraser takes photographs inside the warehouse of a damaged building of Specialty Distributors after severe weather passed through an industrial industrial park on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Jeffersontown, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Azlin Douglas, 6, sweeps debris following severe weather in Selmer, Tenn., Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A mobile home park floods where rising waters of the Little Sugar Creek meet the Ohio River, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Napoleon, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Community members steer a boat past flooded vehicles on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
A person walks over the fallen brick facade from the front of a damaged business in the Triad Building, a business plaza, after severe weather passed through Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Storm damaged homes and broken trees are seen Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Selmer, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
City workers and volunteers stack sandbags in preparation of rising floodwaters on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
A mobile home park floods where rising waters of the Little Sugar Creek meet the Ohio River, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Napoleon, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Utility workers tend to damaged power lines following severe weather in Selmer, Tenn., Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Brownsburg firefighters survey storm damage to a warehouse in Brownsburg, Ind., Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Search and rescue firefighters conduct wellness checks in a neighborhood on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Abner Wagers, right, and Brayden Baker, both with the Monterey Volunteer Fire Department, walk in the rising waters of the Kentucky River near a flooded home in Monterey, Ky., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
In an aerial view, the flooded Buffalo Trace Distillery is seen on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Storm damaged homes are seen Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Selmer, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A vehicle sits in a flooded neighborhood on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Jeremiah Coyle works to cover a roof in the rain following severe weather in Selmer, Tenn., Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Vehicles are seen within the floodwaters from the Kentucky River on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Dale Bardes, the oldest resident of Rabbit Hash, Ky., drives on the edge of the rising Ohio River floodwaters as he checks the water levels near the Rabbit Hash General Store on Lower River Road, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Rabbit Hash, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The rising Ohio River floods along Lower River Road, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Rabbit Hash, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Camp Turn-A-Bout is flooded by the rising Ohio River at the Gunpowder Creek, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Union, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Carole Smith walks through her flooded home on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
The rising Ohio River partially submerges the bronze statue of James Bradley along Riverside Drive, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Covington, Ky. Cincinnati and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge are seen across the Ohio River. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The rising Ohio River partially submerges the bronze statue of James Bradley along Riverside Drive, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Covington, Ky. Cincinnati and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge are seen across the Ohio River. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
A Canada goose swims in the rising Ohio River at the intersection of River Riverside Place and Ben Bernstein Place, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Covington, Ky., across the river from Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
A Canada goose swims in the rising Ohio River at the intersection of River Riverside Place and Ben Bernstein Place, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Covington, Ky., across the river from Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Kayakers paddle on the floodwaters at the Buffalo Trace Distillery on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
William Fraser takes photographs inside the warehouse of a damaged building of Specialty Distributors after severe weather passed through an industrial industrial park on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Jeffersontown, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
William Fraser takes photographs inside the warehouse of a damaged building of Specialty Distributors after severe weather passed through an industrial industrial park on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Jeffersontown, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Azlin Douglas, 6, sweeps debris following severe weather in Selmer, Tenn., Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A mobile home park floods where rising waters of the Little Sugar Creek meet the Ohio River, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Napoleon, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Community members steer a boat past flooded vehicles on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
A person walks over the fallen brick facade from the front of a damaged business in the Triad Building, a business plaza, after severe weather passed through Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
A person walks over the fallen brick facade from the front of a damaged business in the Triad Building, a business plaza, after severe weather passed through Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Storm damaged homes and broken trees are seen Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Selmer, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
City workers and volunteers stack sandbags in preparation of rising floodwaters on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
A mobile home park floods where rising waters of the Little Sugar Creek meet the Ohio River, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Napoleon, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Utility workers tend to damaged power lines following severe weather in Selmer, Tenn., Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Brownsburg firefighters survey storm damage to a warehouse in Brownsburg, Ind., Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Search and rescue firefighters conduct wellness checks in a neighborhood on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Abner Wagers, right, and Brayden Baker, both with the Monterey Volunteer Fire Department, walk in the rising waters of the Kentucky River near a flooded home in Monterey, Ky., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Abner Wagers, right, and Brayden Baker, both with the Monterey Volunteer Fire Department, walk in the rising waters of the Kentucky River near a flooded home in Monterey, Ky., Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
In an aerial view, the flooded Buffalo Trace Distillery is seen on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Storm damaged homes are seen Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Selmer, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A vehicle sits in a flooded neighborhood on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Jeremiah Coyle works to cover a roof in the rain following severe weather in Selmer, Tenn., Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Vehicles are seen within the floodwaters from the Kentucky River on Monday, April 7, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)
Dale Bardes, the oldest resident of Rabbit Hash, Ky., drives on the edge of the rising Ohio River floodwaters as he checks the water levels near the Rabbit Hash General Store on Lower River Road, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Rabbit Hash, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Dale Bardes, the oldest resident of Rabbit Hash, Ky., drives on the edge of the rising Ohio River floodwaters as he checks the water levels near the Rabbit Hash General Store on Lower River Road, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Rabbit Hash, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
The rising Ohio River floods along Lower River Road, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Rabbit Hash, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Flooding worsened across the U.S. South and Midwest, threatening communities already waterlogged and badly damaged by days of heavy rain and storms that killed at least 23 people.
From Texas to Ohio, utilities scrambled to shut off power and gas, while cities deployed sandbags to protect homes and businesses. Forecasters warned that flooding could persist for days, especially in Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama.
Some rivers that inundated towns rose to near-record levels and some crested Monday.
Forecasters attributed the violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong winds and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf.
This photo gallery, curated by AP photo editors, highlights the destruction caused by the storms.