Wednesday’s storms are unleashing an additional threat over the South: life-threatening flooding.
An estimated 12 inches of rain has fallen in parts of eastern Texas and western Louisiana over the last 36 hours, and storms capable of 2 to 3 inches of rain per hour will keep tracking through the region today.
Nearly 12,000 people in Kirbyville, Texas, and surrounding cities are under a flash flood emergency warning of life-threatening flooding until 12:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m CT). Torrential rain there caused rapid rises on area waterways, submerging local roads and forcing water rescues.
Flood alerts are in effect for over 13 million people from Texas to Georgia and Florida Wednesday as rounds of gushing storms move over the area. An additional 4 to 8 inches of rain could soak this area, where a Level 3 of 4 risk of excessive rainfall is in place, according to the Weather Prediction Center.
Deadly danger: Flash flooding is weather’s number-two killer, claiming more lives than anything but heat. It can happen when storms roll over the same areas for hours, with intense rain falling faster than the soil can absorb. Dangerous flash flooding turns roads into rivers and can wash out entire sections of seemingly solid ground.
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