LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Heavy rain is expected in Louisville and its surrounding counties as Hurricane Helene's remnants approach Thursday night.
"Prepare now," Metro Emergency Services Director Jody Meiman said. "There's gonna be a lot of rain and a lot of wind. Obviously, turn around, don't drown. We don't want to get anybody out of any flooded roadways. But prepare your house as well. Prepare for things like power outages, never run generators in or around your house."
Meiman said the community should prepare now by downloading the Smart911 app and sign up for LENSAlerts to stay informed during the severe weather. You can also download the free WHAS11 app to watch live coverage and get the latest weather alerts even if your power goes out. For Apple or Android users.
"We don't want people to prepare as it's coming in, we want them to take a look at the things that can impact them now," he added.
The Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) is operating off that advice.
Before Thursday's mild weather, MSD finished preparations for Hurricane Helene's leftover deluge.
"We've known this is coming for awhile so the crews have been out," spokesperson Sheryl Lauder said. "They've completed all their pre-rain event checks. They'll check things like the viaducts, drainage channels that have an overpass over them. So if there's limbs or things that have caught, they'll clear those so water can flow on through."
That rainfall washes out the sewers, keeping down the smell of the aging system designed for more consistent rain.
Without much rain recently, the Ohio River has remained low. That helps any parts of town that drain into the river like the roads near Frankfort Avenue.
"But, when the rain starts, things can move like trash, leaves, limbs and things can move and that can go into place and clog something up. So they cleared what they can, and we're ready. If there's any problems, give us a call, or visit our website and report a problem," Lauder said.
To report flooding to MSD call 502-540-6000 or submit a report online by clicking here.
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