Tropical Storm Heri lashed Rhode Island on the US east coast leaving thousands without electricity and bringing record rainfall.

US President Joe Biden said the storm has "potential for widespread consequences across the region with significant flooding and power outage" in New England.

The US president ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts in Rhode Island which has been the worst hit due to the storm.

<img alt="Tropical Storm Henri" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="de6290d0-2354-4063-9d4d-ecc3c6141c8d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/S2.jpg" />

Storm Henri slowed down over Rhode Island after making landfall on Sunday however it caused heavy rainfall in northeast US.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Storm Heri is expected to head towards the northwest before slowing down near the New York-Connecticut border.

The storm hit Rhode Island with wind speeds of 95kph as officials remained on high alert.&nbsp;

<img alt="Tropical Storm Henri" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="417d6bfa-e324-4d52-a1a8-9850caa98252" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/S3.jpg" />

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he feared flooding in the area. Officials had put Long Island and southern New England on alert including parts of Massachusetts' Cape Cod.

The NHC said over &nbsp;42 million people in the region were under Tropical Storm Heri's alert warning with storm surges expected, although the surge warning were lifted later.

<img alt="Tropical Storm Henri" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="43f0c870-4139-44d3-b43b-110a8e957c90" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/S4.jpg" />

The storm was earlier downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane as it struck America's northeastern seaboard.

Flash flooding was witnessed in Newark and New Jersey as emergency services swung into action with blackouts in Connecticut.

At least 200 flights were cancelled due to the storm at Newark airport including several in New York's LaGuardia and JFK airport.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Tropical Storm Heri lashed Rhode Island on the US east coast leaving thousands without electricity and bringing record rainfall. US President Joe Biden said the storm has "potential for widespread consequences across the region with significant flooding and power outage" in New England.

Tropical Storm Heri lashed Rhode Island on the US east coast leaving thousands without electricity and bringing record rainfall. US President Joe Biden said the storm has "potential for widespread consequences across the region with significant flooding and power outage" in New England. The US president ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts in Rhode Island which has been the worst hit due to the storm. Storm Henri slowed down over Rhode Island after making landfall on Sunday however it caused heavy rainfall in northeast US. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Storm Heri is expected to head towards the northwest before slowing down near the New York-Connecticut border. The storm hit Rhode Island with wind speeds of 95kph as officials remained on high alert. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he feared flooding in the area. Officials had put Long Island and southern New England on alert including parts of Massachusetts' Cape Cod. The NHC said over 42 million people in the region were under Tropical Storm Heri's alert warning with storm surges expected, although the surge warning were lifted later. The storm was earlier downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane as it struck America's northeastern seaboard. Flash flooding was witnessed in Newark and New Jersey as emergency services swung into action with blackouts in Connecticut. At least 200 flights were cancelled due to the storm at Newark airport including several in New York's LaGuardia and JFK airport. (With inputs from Agencies)

Thousands left without power as Tropical Storm Henri hits US east coast

Devastating floods after record rainfall in the southern US state of&nbsp;Tennessee&nbsp;have left at least 21 people dead and at least 20 more missing, local officials said Sunday in what they warned was a preliminary toll.

Tennessee&nbsp;was hit Saturday by what&nbsp;meteorologists called historic storms and flooding, dumping as much as 38 centimeters&nbsp;of rain.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-left-without-power-as-tropical-storm-henri-hits-us-east-coast-407676">Also Read: Thousands left without power as Tropical Storm Henri hits US east coast</a>

Rural roads, state highways, bridges and hundreds of homes were washed out and widespread power outages affected thousands of people.

In Humphreys County, about 90 minutes from country music hub Nashville, the downpour on Saturday broke a 24-hour rainfall record for&nbsp;Tennessee, the National Weather Service said.

Tennessee&nbsp;Governor Bill Lee described "picture of loss and heartache" in Waverly, a hard-hit town of around 4,500 where 20 of the victims died.

"Our hearts and our prayers need to be for those folks in that community, many of them who have suffered not only the loss of their homes but the loss of family members and friends," he said in a televised press conference Sunday after touring the wreckage.

Police chief Grant Gillespie said the other death was in a more remote area of the county.

Initially, about 40 people were reported missing, but by late afternoon that number had been halved.&nbsp;

"We're hopeful that we're getting to the end of that list," Gillespie told reporters.

Authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew amid efforts to account for the missing.

Gillespie also urged Waverly residents to remain inside after 8 pm because of "problems with a small amount of looting and trespassing".

Search and rescue operations were continuing Sunday, with workers going from home to home to search for victims or those needing assistance.

The rising water had struck Waverly so quickly that some people were&nbsp;unable to escape, local officials said.

Karen Phair, 61, told local newspaper The Tennessean that Waverly looked like "a war zone".

Humphreys County resident Rickey Larkin, 62, told the New York Times he and his wife had to cling to a mattress as a life raft after "an ocean" engulfed his home.

"We came about a foot from drowning. I thought we were gone," he said.

The Waverly Department of Public Safety posted on its Facebook page a list of names of missing people, and asked for the public's help finding them.

In Washington, President Joe Biden began an afternoon press conference by expressing his "deepest condolences for the sudden and tragic loss of life" in&nbsp;Tennessee.

"I've asked the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) administrator to speak to Governor Lee of&nbsp;Tennessee&nbsp;right away," Biden said.

Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told a CNN affiliate that the dead included two toddlers. Davis himself lost a friend to the floods.

"They just went and got one of my best friends and recovered him. He drowned in this," the sheriff said. "It's tough, but we're going to move forward."

Half a dozen children are among the missing, he said.

Photos posted on social media showed a row of homes nearly submerged in brown floodwater, cars flipped over or piled on top of one another and roads covered in mud and debris.&nbsp;

"The news media has been very focused on what's happening in other areas – Haiti, Afghanistan, hurricanes coming into the northeast – but I think that we need to understand that the devastation here in&nbsp;Tennessee&nbsp;has been every bit as significant," said US Senator Bill Hagerty after visiting a flood-devastated school.

The Piney River in nearby Hickman County crested nearly 12 feet (3.6 meters) above its historic record high, a local National Weather Service office said.

&nbsp;

Devastating floods after record rainfall in the southern US state of Tennessee have left at least 21 people dead and at least 20 more missing, local officials said Sunday in what they warned was a preliminary toll.

Devastating floods after record rainfall in the southern US state of Tennessee have left at least 21 people dead and at least 20 more missing, local officials said Sunday in what they warned was a preliminary toll. Tennessee was hit Saturday by what meteorologists called historic storms and flooding, dumping as much as 38 centimeters of rain. Also Read: Thousands left without power as Tropical Storm Henri hits US east coast Rural roads, state highways, bridges and hundreds of homes were washed out and widespread power outages affected thousands of people. In Humphreys County, about 90 minutes from country music hub Nashville, the downpour on Saturday broke a 24-hour rainfall record for Tennessee, the National Weather Service said. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee described "picture of loss and heartache" in Waverly, a hard-hit town of around 4,500 where 20 of the victims died. "Our hearts and our prayers need to be for those folks in that community, many of them who have suffered not only the loss of their homes but the loss of family members and friends," he said in a televised press conference Sunday after touring the wreckage. Police chief Grant Gillespie said the other death was in a more remote area of the county. Initially, about 40 people were reported missing, but by late afternoon that number had been halved. "We're hopeful that we're getting to the end of that list," Gillespie told reporters. Authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew amid efforts to account for the missing. Gillespie also urged Waverly residents to remain inside after 8 pm because of "problems with a small amount of looting and trespassing". Search and rescue operations were continuing Sunday, with workers going from home to home to search for victims or those needing assistance. The rising water had struck Waverly so quickly that some people were unable to escape, local officials said. Karen Phair, 61, told local newspaper The Tennessean that Waverly looked like "a war zone". Humphreys County resident Rickey Larkin, 62, told the New York Times he and his wife had to cling to a mattress as a life raft after "an ocean" engulfed his home. "We came about a foot from drowning. I thought we were gone," he said. The Waverly Department of Public Safety posted on its Facebook page a list of names of missing people, and asked for the public's help finding them. In Washington, President Joe Biden began an afternoon press conference by expressing his "deepest condolences for the sudden and tragic loss of life" in Tennessee. "I've asked the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) administrator to speak to Governor Lee of Tennessee right away," Biden said. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told a CNN affiliate that the dead included two toddlers. Davis himself lost a friend to the floods. "They just went and got one of my best friends and recovered him. He drowned in this," the sheriff said. "It's tough, but we're going to move forward." Half a dozen children are among the missing, he said. Photos posted on social media showed a row of homes nearly submerged in brown floodwater, cars flipped over or piled on top of one another and roads covered in mud and debris. "The news media has been very focused on what's happening in other areas – Haiti, Afghanistan, hurricanes coming into the northeast – but I think that we need to understand that the devastation here in Tennessee has been every bit as significant," said US Senator Bill Hagerty after visiting a flood-devastated school. The Piney River in nearby Hickman County crested nearly 12 feet (3.6 meters) above its historic record high, a local National Weather Service office said.

At least 21 dead in Tennessee floods; several missing

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Thousands left without power as Tropical Storm Henri hits US east coast

At least 21 dead in Tennessee floods; several missing