Two identified after flash flooding deaths in Richmond basement on University Drive

Two people who died during Saturday’s flash flooding in Richmond were identified as John Powell, 57, and Patricia Beck, 51, after they were found in the basement of a building on University Drive, according to WKYT.

The report said the deaths occurred when floodwaters surged through the area during the heavy-weather event. Richmond-area residents and family members described the victims as closely connected to their community, as a best friend of Powell remembered him for an outgoing, “rockstar personality.”

WKYT reported that Gov. Andy Beshear said the statewide death toll from the central Kentucky floods was four people, with three of the deaths in Richmond. Beshear’s statement placed the fatalities within a broader regional flooding picture that extended beyond a single neighborhood or incident site.

Powell’s best friend told WKYT that Powell’s personality stood out to people around him, and the friend’s remembrance underscored the personal toll of the disaster beyond the initial emergency response. Beck’s death was also tied to the same basement location on University Drive in the reporting.

Emergency crews responded to the flooding aftermath in Richmond, where the deaths were confirmed at the building site. The incident remains a subject of investigation by local authorities, including the circumstances leading to people being trapped in a basement during the rapid rise of floodwater, WKYT reported.

With the identifications announced, families face next steps that typically follow fatal incidents, including confirmation of next-of-kin, coordination with local agencies handling the death investigation, and cleanup and recovery efforts for the affected property and surrounding area.

The flash flooding also renewed attention on the danger of fast-rising water in basements and low-lying structures, particularly during events that can overwhelm streets and access routes before residents can react. In Richmond, officials and residents were left to account for the deaths as part of a larger central Kentucky flooding toll reported by Gov. Beshear.