5 dead, thousands flee as historic floods swamp South of U.S

YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Submerged roadways, backed-up sewers, stalled cars and flooded homes: The dramatic scenes in and aroundShreveport, La., were being repeated on March 10 inthe South as historic flash flooding continued to pound the region. “Armenpress” reports citing USA Today.

Five people have been killed in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana since the deluge began earlier this week, and the heavy rainpromises not to let up for at least another day.

More than 20 inches of rain has already fallen in some places, the Weather Channel reported.In all, some areas will receivetwo feet of rain by the time the stormwinds down on March 11, theNational Weather Servicesaid.

In addition to Louisiana, the hardest-hit state where three deaths occurred, parts of Arkansas, western Tennessee and southern Illinois will also be drenched by locally heavy rain into March 11, according to the weather service.

Flash flood watches and warnings stretched from Lake Charles, La., to Evansville, Ind., as of late afternoon March 10. More than 80 river gauges in the region reportedflooding on March 10.

The flood threat will last across the region even after the rain stops, as waterseeps into the ground and works its way into progressively larger rivers,AccuWeather reported.

In Louisiana,3,000 homes were under mandatory evacuations, FEMA said. At least 9,000 customers were without power, schools were closed in several parishesand many roads were closed.

Quickly rising floodwaters forced mandatory evacuations of neighborhoods near swollen tributaries. LouisianaGov.John Bel Edwardscalled in the stateNational Guardto assist rescuesby boat and in big military trucks.

“There has been an awful lot of damage and a lot of people affected,”Edwards said. “Our thoughts and prayers and resources are with north Louisiana.”

InBienville Parish, a man drowned on March 9 when his vehicle was swept into a nearby creek as he attempted to drive across a flooded highway,the Weather Channel reported.Two people drowned in Oklahoma and Texas earlier in the week.