Directions: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow by choosing the correct/most appropriate options:
Beginning on July 24, 2022, and lasting for a week, many flash flooding events hit several areas of the United States. These areas included parts of Missouri and Illinois, especially Greater St. Louis, Eastern Kentucky, Southwest Virginia, parts of West Virginia, and the Las Vegas Valley. Several rounds of severe thunderstorms began in Missouri on July 24, culminating on July 25 and 26, when St. Louis broke its previous 1915 record for the most rainfall in a span of 24 hours. Governor Mike Parson declared a state of emergency on July 26. Over one hundred people were rescued from floods, and two people were killed. Late on July 27 and into July 28, historic flooding began in central Appalachia, particularly in Kentucky, where a state of emergency was declared. A total of 38 people were killed in Kentucky as a direct result of flooding, with a 39th _______ occurring days later during cleanup efforts and a 40th coming in September during cleanup efforts in Pike County.
Late July 28, another unprecedented flash flooding event occurred in Las Vegas after parts of the city saw over an inch of rainfall. Much of the Las Vegas Strip became inundated, with roads, casinos, and parking garages being affected and flights being delayed or canceled. More flooding continued from July 30 to August 1 in Arizona, including Phoenix and Flagstaff, California, including Death Valley National Park, and again in the same areas of Eastern Kentucky. In all, 41 people were killed during the flooding events: 39 in Kentucky on July 28 and 2 in Missouri on July 26. More flooding events continued throughout August, impacting areas such as Death Valley, the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and central Mississippi. A flash flood in Zion National Park in Utah led to one fatality. The Dallas flooding on August 22 led to an additional fatality and four injuries.
On the morning of July 26, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) issued a moderate risk outlook for excessive rainfall over portions of eastern Missouri and southern Illinois, and Indiana associated with an expected band of training thunderstorms over the region. By the end of July 26, St. Peters, Missouri recorded a total of 12.8 inches (330 mm) of rainfall, while other areas of St. Charles County received over 11 inches (280 mm). Other parts of Greater St. Louis totaled as much as 10 inches (250 mm) of rain. Additionally, more than 6 inches (150 mm) of rain fell in the town of Mexico in central Missouri, with similar rainfall totals being reported in southern Illinois. Parts of Kentucky and West Virginia were affected by flooding on July 26 as well, including Johnson, Magoffin, and Floyd counties in Kentucky and Mingo and McDowell counties in West Virginia.
Training thunderstorms began to form over Eastern Kentucky during the early hours of July 27, producing heavy rainfall periodically throughout the day. Jackson, Kentucky had its second-wettest day on record (since 1981), with 4.11 inches (104 mm) of rain falling. During the late evening and overnight hours, a more substantial band of heavy rain and thunderstorms moved west to east along a stalled frontal boundary, resulting in subsequent extreme flooding across the counties of Perry, Knott, Breathitt, Letcher, Leslie, Clay, Owsley, Wolfe, Harlan, Johnson, Magoffin, Floyd, and Pike. Flooding was also reported in Southwest Virginia, in the areas of Wise and Dickenson counties, and the independent city of Norton, which are along the Kentucky border. On the morning of July 28, the WPC issued a moderate risk outlook for excessive rainfall over portions of Central and Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. The rainfall began to move towards West Virginia and central Kentucky the following day and began to encompass almost all of West Virginia on July 29. On the morning of July 29, the WPC issued a moderate risk outlook for excessive rainfall but shifted it into Eastern Kentucky and almost all of West Virginia.
On the morning of July 31, a third moderate risk outlook for excessive rainfall was issued by the WPC over portions of Eastern Kentucky, with more flooding occurring that night over the same areas as four days earlier. Elsewhere on July 30 and 31, Phoenix and Flagstaff, Arizona, along with rural areas of Arizona and southeast California sustained flooding due to heavy rain associated with the Southwest monsoon. Near Kingman, over 1 inch (25 mm) of rain fell in approximately 15 minutes on July 31, associated with widespread thunderstorm activity over both states and southern Nevada. More rainfall impacted the same areas of Eastern Kentucky on July 31 and August 1, leading to renewed flooding in those areas, while areas of eastern Illinois, such as Jasper and Richland counties, picked up as much as 10–12 inches (250–300 mm) of rain from August 1 into August 2. On the morning of August 2, the Weather Prediction Center issued a moderate risk of excessive rainfall for parts of southern Illinois and Indiana and parts of western Kentucky. Also on August 2, central Mississippi, including parts of Madison, Yazoo, Holmes, and Attala counties, received as much as 8–10 inches (200–250 mm) of rainfall, causing flooding that impacted roads and homes.