Missouri Task Force 1 stays in eastern Kentucky on standby as more storms expected

Missouri Task Force 1 remained in eastern Kentucky through the weekend and into Monday ready to deploy for any critical missions or additional targeted searches.

The task force, which deployed 47 responders on July 30 to help with relief from historic flooding in the area, remained in staging Sunday and expected to maintain that status "for another day or two," the group wrote on social media Sunday morning.

The team is managed by the Boone County Fire Protection District.

After record rainfall the last week of July, there is a continuing threat of thunderstorms, leading the state of Kentucky to hold Task Force 1 in staging, the post stated.

More:Missouri Task Force 1 conducts search missions after flooding in eastern Kentucky

"MO-TF1 has focused the last couple days on training, cleanup and inventory of the large cache of equipment," the task force wrote online Sunday. "Spirits remain high and members are eager to be busy."

The National Weather Service extended a flood watch through Sunday evening for eastern Kentucky, saying there's a "persistent threat" of storms in the region through Thursday.

Last week, the task force conducted wide area and targeted searches in and along Troublesome Creek in Breathitt County, Kentucky. In addition to searching along the banks of the creek by foot, crews took boats on the water with a search dog aboard to reach areas inaccessible by land.

The task force originally expected to return home Saturday before being requested to remain on standby.

Further updates were not immediately available Monday.

At least 37 people lost their lives in the flooding after 8 to 10 1/2 inches of rain fell in just 48 hours in the Appalachian mountain region. The NWS estimates 14 to 16 inches of rain fell from July 26-29, totals that are “historically unheard of.”

More than 1,300 people were rescued in the days after the original storm.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.