Rising rivers threaten US South and Midwest after dayslong torrent of rain

FRANKFORT, Kentucky (AP) — Rivers rose and flooding worsened Sunday across the sodden U.S. South and Midwest, threatening communities already badly damaged by days of heavy rain and wind that killed at least 18 people.

Even as the rain moved out of some of the hardest hit areas in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, water levels crept up in some communities, swirling into homes and businesses and submerging roads.

In Frankfort, Kentucky, rescue crews checking up on residents in the state capital traversed inundated streets in inflatable boats. Workers erected sandbag ramparts to protect homes and businesses and turned off utilities as the swollen Kentucky River kept rising.

“As long as I’ve been alive — and I’m 52 — this is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said Wendy Quire, the general manager at the Brown Barrel restaurant in downtown Frankfort.

The river's depth had risen above 47 feet Sunday and was expected to crest above 49 feet Monday morning to a potentially record-setting level, according to Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson. The city's flood wall system is designed to withstand 51 feet of water.

Forecasters said that flooding could persist as torrential rains lingered over several states. Tornado watches were in effect through much of the day Sunday in parts of Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

For many, there was a sense of dread.

“This flooding is an act of God,” said Kevin Gordon, a front desk clerk at the Ashbrook Hotel in downtown Frankfort. The hotel was open Sunday and offering discounted stays to affected locals, but Gordon said it could eventually be forced to close.

The 18 reported deaths since the storms began on Wednesday included 10 in Tennessee. A 9-year-old boy in Kentucky was caught up in floodwaters while walking to catch his school bus. A 5-year-old boy in Arkansas died after a tree fell on his family’s home and trapped him, police said. A 16-year-old volunteer Missouri firefighter died in a crash while seeking to rescue people caught in the storm.

The National Weather Service said on Sunday dozens of locations in multiple states were expected to reach a “major flood stage,” with extensive flooding of structures, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure possible.

In north-central Kentucky, emergency officials ordered a mandatory evacuation for Falmouth and Butler, towns near the bend of the rising Licking River. Thirty years ago, the river reached a record 50 feet (15 meters), resulting in five deaths and 1,000 homes destroyed.

The storms come after the Trump administration cut jobs at NWS forecast offices, leaving half of them with vacancy rates of about 20%, or double the level of a decade ago.

A northwestern Tennessee town of about 200 people that flooded after a levee failure in February was almost entirely underwater on Sunday after the Obion River overflowed. Domanic Scott went to check on his father in Rives, Tennessee, after not hearing from him in a house where floodwater had reached the doorsteps.

“It’s the first house we’ve ever paid off. The insurance companies around here won’t give flood insurance to anyone who lives in Rives because we’re too close to the river and the levees. So if we lose it, we’re kind of screwed without a house,” Scott said.

For others that fled to higher ground, grabbing the essentials also meant taking a closer look at the liquor cabinet.

In Kentucky, with water rising up to his windowsills, Frankfort resident Bill Jones fled his home in a boat, which he loaded with several boxes filled with bottles of bourbon.

As of early Sunday, Memphis had received 14 inches (35 centimeters) of rain since Wednesday, the National Weather Service said. West Memphis, Arkansas, received 10 inches (25 centimeters).

The rain and fierce winds moved further east on Sunday, felling trees in Alabama and Georgia.

Forecasters attributed the violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong winds and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf.

Izaguirre reported from New York. Kruesi reported from Nashville. Associated Press writers Bruce Schreiner in Shelbyville, Kentucky; Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas; Adrian Sainz in Memphis; Tennessee; Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Obed Lamy in Rives, Tennessee; and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.

City workers and volunteers stack sandbags in preparation of rising floodwaters on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

A flooded downtown area is seen past a stack of sandbags on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

In an aerial view, a flooded neighborhood is seen on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Search and rescue firefighters conduct wellness checks in a neighborhood on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Abner Wagers stands near flooded homes in the rising waters of the Kentucky River in Monterey, Ky,. Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

A group of people survey damage at Pounders Mobile Home Park following a strong line of storms in the area in Muscle Shoals, Ala, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (Dan Busey/The TimesDaily via AP)

Abner Wagers walks in the rising waters of the Kentucky River on a flooded Monterey Pike 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)

the rising waters of Cedar Creek and the Kentucky River overflow their banks, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Monterey, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

A mole swims through the floodwaters on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Lukas Evins stands barefoot near the flooded downtown area on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Search and rescue firefighters carry a boat to a flooded neighborhood on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

A flooded neighborhood is seen on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Bill Jones pulls his boat ashore, filled with bottles of bourbon, from a flooded home near the banks of the Kentucky River on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

The flooded downtown area is seen on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Search and rescue firefighters speak to a resident in a flooded neighborhood on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Search and rescue firefighters conduct wellness checks in a neighborhood on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Road crews work to clear Lee County Rd. 681 in Saltillo, Miss, Sunday, April 6, 2025, of downed trees that blocked the road following the severe weather that passed through the area Saturday night. (Thomas Wells /The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal via AP)

A flooded building is seen near the banks fo the Kentucky River on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

CORRECTS TO MICHAEL NOT MICHALE Michael Scott Memering looks out of his trailer after evacuating the Licking River RV Campground that was flooded by the rising waters of the Licking River, seen behind, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Falmouth, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

A pair of beekeepers rescue a hive from a downed tree Sunday, April 6, 2025 in Tupelo, Miss., along Birmingham Ridge Road following Saturday severe weather that passed through North Mississippi. (Thomas Wells /The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal via AP)

Bill Jones loads boxes of bourbon bottles into his boat from a flooded home on Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

A mailbox secured to a utility pole is surrounded by the rising Licking River, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Falmouth, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Residential streets are flooded by the rising Licking River, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Falmouth, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

An Owen County Search and Rescue vessel passes by the flooded community of Monterey, Ky., on Sunday, April 6, 2025. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP)

An Owen County Search and Rescue vessel passes by the flooded community of Monterey, Ky., on Sunday, April 6, 2025. (Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader via AP)

Kris Searcy and her dog, Nash, walk through flood waters on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Fog rolls in over a flooded road near the banks of the Kentucky River on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

A flooded home is seen from the banks of the Ohio River on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

A resident is brought to dry land by boat after being rescued from flood waters by emergency responders from the Benton, Conway and Shannon Hills fire departments and the Pulaski County Emergency Management team in Shannon Hills, Ark., Saturday, April 5, 2025, as a second day of storms brought widespread flooding to the region. (Colin Murphey/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP)

Floodwaters enter a garage in a home on the banks of the Ohio River on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Pendleton County personnel use a boat to cross Max Goldberg Park after cutting power from a utility pole as the rising Licking River overflows its banks, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Falmouth, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Carole Smith walks through her flooded home on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Floodwaters inundate homes and vehicles in Shannon Hills, Ark., Saturday, April 5, 2025, as a second day of storms brought widespread flooding to the region. (Colin Murphey/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP)

An aerial view of debris floating down the Kentucky River as vehicles drive over a bridge Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Jon Cherry)

Vehicles go around a downed tree on Cooper Street as heavy rain falls, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)

A car is stuck in floodwaters near the corner of Cowden Street and Tanglewood Avenue as heavy rain falls, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian via AP)

The rising waters of the Licking River touch the basketball hoop at Max Goldberg Park, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Falmouth, Ky. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

TRIESTE, Italy & MILAN, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 10, 2025--

Fincantieri, a global leader in complex shipbuilding, and Accenture (NYSE: ACN), one of the world’s leading professional services companies, have signed an agreement to establish Fincantieri Ingenium, a new joint venture. The company will be owned 70% by Fincantieri NexTech—a subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group—and 30% by Accenture. The initiative stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2024 and combines Fincantieri’s technological expertise in the naval sector with Accenture’s advanced digital capabilities and digital engineering and manufacturing expertise.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250410805533/en/

Fincantieri Ingenium has been created to accelerate digital transformation across the cruise, defense, and port infrastructure sectors. It will play a key role in executing the strategy outlined in Fincantieri Group’s Industrial Plan. The goal is to enhance the offering of digital services and systems based on recent advances in technologies such as artificial intelligence by optimizing the entire value chain through data utilization and process transformation.

The joint venture will integrate Accenture’s extensive experience in digital platforms, AI, connectivity and IoT, cybersecurity, and service design with Fincantieri’s deep technological know-how in the naval and defense industries. This powerful combination will enable the development of new technological capabilities and skills, while also attracting and training new talent.

Among the first strategic initiatives of the new company is the development of Navis Sapiens, a digital ecosystem designed for next-generation ships and the upgrade of existing fleets. The project spans three key dimensions: the creation of a portfolio of application services to optimize operational efficiency and lifecycle management for ships and onshore infrastructure; the development of a digital platform enabling these applications and advanced AI-driven functionalities, with a strong focus on cybersecurity; and a marketplace to facilitate the exchange of solutions—including those from third parties—to deliver high value-added services and enable new business models across the maritime ecosystem. The first ship equipped with Navis Sapiens is expected to enter service by the end of 2025.

In synergy with Navis Sapiens, the joint venture also plans to enhance real-time data exchange and connectivity between ships and onshore ecosystems—including ports and shipyards—through a sea-to-shoreinteroperability solution to increase cross-functional process efficiency. This project will help improve the competitiveness of Italian ports by optimizing performance across the entire maritime and land-based value chain. All initiatives will be promoted with sustainability as a core pillar. The systems will be designed to reduce environmental impact through data-driven energy optimization, supporting shipowners in reducing fuel consumption. The initiatives already underway, as well as those to come, will generate significant value for Fincantieri, the national maritime ecosystem, and the country as a whole, with a positive impact on a global scale.

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, said: "With Fincantieri Ingenium, we strengthen our leadership position in technological innovation applied to shipbuilding and the naval engineering industry. This joint venture represents a strategic step forward in accelerating the digitalization of the sector, leveraging artificial intelligence and the most advanced technologies. Thanks to the synergy with Accenture, we will develop cutting-edge solutions that will make our ships and infrastructures increasingly connected, efficient and sustainable, consolidating Fincantieri's role as a global leader in the sector."

Teodoro Lio, MU Lead for ICEG and CEO of Accenture Italy, commented: “We are excited about this joint venture with Fincantieri, which marks a significant step forward in maritime innovation and is a tangible example of collaboration between two organizations committed to transforming the market and creating new value. With Fincantieri Ingenium, we are combining our respective strengths to shape new operating models that will transform maritime operations through innovative technologies.”

The project is subject to customary conditions precedents related to regulatory compliance .

About Fincantieri
Fincantieri is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups, the only one active in all high-tech marine industry sectors. It is leader in the construction and transformation of cruise, naval and oil & gas and wind offshore vessels, as well as in the production of systems and component equipment, after-sales services and marine interiors solutions. Thanks to the expertise developed in the management of complex projects, the Group boasts first-class references in infrastructures, and is a reference player in digital technologies and cybersecurity, electronics and advanced systems. With over 230 years of history and more than 7,000 ships built, Fincantieri maintains its know-how, expertise and management centres in Italy, here employing over 11,000 workers and creating around 90,000 jobs, which double worldwide thanks to a production network of 18 shipyards operating worldwide and with over 22,000 employees.
www.fincantieri.com

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 801,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. Our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities. Visit us at accenture.com

Fincantieri, a global leader in complex shipbuilding, and Accenture, one of the world’s leading professional services companies, have signed an agreement to establish Fincantieri Ingenium, a new joint venture.