PIKEVILLE, Ky. — As dawn broke in Eastern Kentucky on Sunday, there was both good news and bad news about flooding.

The good news is the river has crested in Pikeville and has begun dropping. The bad news is that the Tug Fork continues to exceed earlier projections, placing both Williamson and Kermit at or approaching major flood status.

MAJOR FLOODING

Williamson is currently in major flood stage and is now expected to reach near-record levels of flooding. At 7 a.m., the Tug Fork was at 45.55 feet, nearly three feet above major flood stage. The river is now expected to crest at 49 feet this afternoon. The record flood level for Williamson is 52.6 feet.

Kermit is currently still in minor flood stage, but that is expected to change rapidly. The Tug Fork was at 41.57 feet at 7 a.m., but is expected to crest at 51 feet early Monday morning, which is two feet higher than major flood stage. The record for Kermit is 54.5 feet.

LEVISA FORK

The first bit of good news since the storm is that the Levisa Fork is now dropping in Pikeville. The river reached 46.68 feet at 3:30 a.m. and has been dropping ever since. At 7 a.m., the water level stood at 45.36 feet.

Communities downriver from Pikeville are still waiting for the water to begin dropping. Prestonsburg is expected to crest at 41 feet, which is minor flood stage, while Paintsville is expected to crest at 40.5 feet at 1 a.m., Monday, which is moderate flood stage.