Flood threat looms in the U.S., death toll continues to climb

Thursday, May 1, 2014, 11:40 AM -

Storms have caused 38 deaths since Sunday across several U.S. states from Iowa to Florida.

Winds and tornadoes have caused the majority of the devastation, but the amount of flooding along parts of the Gulf Coast was tremendous.

Near Pensacola, Florida and Mobile, Alabama, over 600 mm of rain fell in a 24 hour time period. The water overran riverbanks and inundated homes, forcing people to the attics and roofs to wait for rescue.

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"Water was coming in through our garage and then through the back doors, and flowing in out the door," one resident said.

The damage went beyond soaked walls and furniture as rushing water shredded streets, tearing the ground away beneath the asphalt and under homes.

The washed-out streets left gaping holes in the Earth, filled with cars and pieces of debris.

And the flooding hasn't been limited to the south. The heavy rains caused problems as far north as Philadelphia and roads were covered in pools of water in parts of Delaware.

It was an entire day of rescues in Maryland Wednesday, where rescuers pulled some drivers right from their car windows.

The U.S. National Weather Service confirmed it was an EF4 tornado that ripped through Vilonia and Mayflower, Arkansas on Sunday killing 15 people there.

The storm continues to move north with up to 150 mm possible in parts of the northeast through Friday.