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CHICAGO - Rivers from Nebraska east to Ohio gushed out of their banks yesterday, swollen from thunderstorms that soaked the central United States for days and killed at least eight people.
"Some locations are even measuring rain by the foot," the National Weather Service in Des Moines said as it issued a flood warning for parts of Iowa.
The rain continues after unrelated flooding in Oklahoma and Texas where the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin earlier killed more than two dozen people.
Areas of southeastern Minnesota and southern Wisconsin were among the hardest hit. Minnesota counted seven dead in storms that began last weekend, with more rain there overnight and in Wisconsin triggering additional flood warnings. One person was killed in Iowa.
Ohio declared a state of emergency in eight counties yesterday after overnight rains worsened flooding in towns and rural communities across the northwestern corner of the state.
More than 100 people were being evacuated from Findlay, Ohio, with fire and rescue crews using boats to pull people from flooded homes and businesses. Flood warnings also were issued for parts of Nebraska, Illinois and Indiana.
- Reuters
