At least 9 people are dead, including 8 in Kentucky, in latest blast of winter weather

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — At least nine people have died in the most recent round of harsh weather to pummel the U.S., including eight people in Kentucky who died as creeks swelled from heavy rain and water covered roads. “There will be mandatory evacuations in effect for the residents in Rives due to the rising water, no electricity, and freezing temperatures creating a life-threatening situation,” Mayor Steve Carr said in a statement Sunday. Dangerously cold wind chill temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero were expected in most of North Dakota, which remained under an “extreme cold warning” along with parts of Montana and large swaths of South Dakota and Minnesota, according to the National Weather Service. The Charlottesville Police Department said Sunday on social media that officers’ response times could be delayed due to “an overwhelming number of weather-related calls for service.” Police urged residents to stay off the roads. “A majority of them were caused by drivers just going too fast or following too close.” Authorities in Colorado reported eight people were killed in fatal vehicle crashes since Valentine’s Day and warned drivers to be cautious as the weather made driving more difficult.