(AP) – The remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur battered parts of the southeastern United States with heavy rain on Thursday, sparking flash flood and tornado warnings along the Gulf Coast.
The Midwest, meanwhile, was recovering from a strong line of storms that tore through parts of Illinois, Indiana and northern Kentucky on Wednesday, bringing possible tornadoes, damaging homes, and downing trees and power lines in the region.
Arthur, the first tropical storm of the season in the Atlantic basin, was downgraded to a low pressure area along the upper Texas coast Wednesday night. It will continue to weaken as it moves inland into parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle, while still dumping heavy rain, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The National Weather Service said rain was falling on southern Louisiana and Mississippi at a rate of 3 inches (8 centimeters) per hour in some places Thursday morning. TV reports and social media posts showed flooded streets in many areas. Several tornado warnings were posted Thursday morning for southern Louisiana and Mississippi. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses were without power.
Arthur’s remnants were expected to bring 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) or more of rain to the Gulf states over the course of Thursday and Friday, the weather service said. Parts of Texas saw flash flooding on Wednesday. The region also was hit with heavy rain earlier in the week.
“The main threat from Arthur is going to be a prolonged, multiday, heavy rainfall event that could produce dangerous to life-threatening flash flooding,” National Hurricane Center director Michael Brennan said.
Ahead of the storm, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said police were preparing boats and setting up barricades in known flood areas. Collection points for residents to fill sandbags also sprung up around Louisiana.
“We both decided we got so much rain yesterday at our house that it was probably a good idea just to pick up a few bags,” said Luke Barwick, who filled sandbags at a collection center in Covington, Louisiana, on Wednesday.
In the Midwest, there were numerous reports of damage from tornadoes and strong winds, but no immediate reports of deaths or life-threatening injuries. More than 130,000 homes and businesses were without power Thursday morning in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, according to poweroutage.us.
A tornado was reported near Effingham, Illinois, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Springfield, shortly Wednesday evening. Several people suffered minor injuries, officials said.
“A tornado caused significant damage in areas north of the City of Effingham, impacting homes, roadways, utilities, and other property throughout portions of Effingham County,” Effingham Fire Chief Brant Yochum said in a statement.
Yochum said firefighters responded to damaged homes, collapsed structures, car crashes, downed power lines, gas leaks and blocked roads.
An automobile museum and auto parts complex in Effingham reported on Facebook that it sustained “catastrophic” damage, but that no one was injured.
The National Weather Service reported that a tractor trailer flipped over on Interstate 57 north of Effingham, injuring the driver.
Damage from strong winds and a possible tornado were also reported in Florence, Kentucky, near Cincinnati, with local news video and photos showing roofs and siding ripped off buildings, as well as downed trees and power lines.
Possible tornadoes also were reported in southwestern Wisconsin and in Alabama on Wednesday. The weather service said it received numerous reports of wind damage across a wide swath, from Iowa and Missouri to Ohio and West Virginia.
The strong storms were expected to move through the central Appalachians to New England on Thursday, the weather service said.
