Weather blues continue in California as a storm in the U. state has prompted evacuations. The experts has warn of more floods, while the land is soaked under flood water, a state of emergency has been declared in 43 of California's 58 counties.

California flood: Experts warns of more floods

Weather blues continue in California as a storm in the U.S. state has prompted evacuations. While the land is soaked under flood water, a state of emergency has been declared in 43 of California's 58 counties.

U.S.: After California floods, storm forces 21,000 people to evacuate state | WION Climate Tracker

A tumultuous start to the year for California continues as floods create havoc in parts of US state of California, where the death toll from the floods has reached 18.

WION Climate Tracker: Floods cause havoc in California; death toll rises to 18

After the destruction caused by Hurricane Ida in the Louisiana United States, the area remains without power. The flood has led houses to submerge underwater. Hurricane Ida has destroyed 22,000 power poles so far. The cleanup work is still under progress by the authorities.

US: Long road to recovery after hurricane Ida

As devastating floods pounded the US state of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-21-dead-in-tennessee-floods-several-missing-407766">Tennessee</a> over the weekend, a resident Linda Almond recorded a one minute video on Facebook live before she was carried away by floodwaters.

Linda body was reportedly identified by her brother.

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In the video, Linda is heard saying: “Well if anybody has seen me on Facebook Live we are being flooded right now in Waverly, Tennessee," adding abruptly, "really scary".

She then says “whoa, whoa" as the water began&nbsp;to rise, “I think something just hit the side of the house," a person is heard saying.

“This is scary,” she said as she panicked and added: “Oh my goodness, oh my goodness.” Those were the last words spoken by her as the video cut off.

The family said Linda and her son climbed to the top of the roof but it collapsed. Her son was rescued but there was no sign of Linda.

Watch:

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“She died in the water yesterday,” Leo Almond, her brother said on Facebook, adding, “Please pray for her soul.”

The floods had led to the death of at least 21 people with 20 more missings as rescue operations were launched on a huge scale.

The state received&nbsp;38 centimetres of rain amid storms as highways, bridges and hundreds of homes were washed out. In Humphreys near Nashville, the rain broke the 24-hour record for Tennessee amid large scale destruction in the state.

(With inputs from Agencies)

As devastating floods pounded the US state of Tennessee over the weekend, a resident Linda Almond recorded a one minute video on Facebook live before she was carried away by floodwaters.

As devastating floods pounded the US state of Tennessee over the weekend, a resident Linda Almond recorded a one minute video on Facebook live before she was carried away by floodwaters. Linda body was reportedly identified by her brother. × In the video, Linda is heard saying: “Well if anybody has seen me on Facebook Live we are being flooded right now in Waverly, Tennessee," adding abruptly, "really scary". She then says “whoa, whoa" as the water began to rise, “I think something just hit the side of the house," a person is heard saying. “This is scary,” she said as she panicked and added: “Oh my goodness, oh my goodness.” Those were the last words spoken by her as the video cut off. The family said Linda and her son climbed to the top of the roof but it collapsed. Her son was rescued but there was no sign of Linda. Watch: “She died in the water yesterday,” Leo Almond, her brother said on Facebook, adding, “Please pray for her soul.” The floods had led to the death of at least 21 people with 20 more missings as rescue operations were launched on a huge scale. The state received 38 centimetres of rain amid storms as highways, bridges and hundreds of homes were washed out. In Humphreys near Nashville, the rain broke the 24-hour record for Tennessee amid large scale destruction in the state. (With inputs from Agencies)

Watch: 'Really scary, my goodness' - Woman livestreams Tennessee floods on Facebook before being washed away

At least 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) of US farmland were flooded after the "bomb cyclone" storm left wide swaths of nine major grain producing states under water this month, satellite data analyzed by Gro Intelligence for Reuters showed.

Farms from the Dakotas to Missouri and beyond have been under water for a week or more, possibly impeding planting and damaging soil. The floods, which came just weeks before planting season starts in the Midwest, will likely reduce corn, wheat and soy production this year.

"There's thousands of acres that won't be able to be planted," Ryan Sonderup, 36, of Fullerton, Nebraska, who has been farming for 18 years, said in a recent interview.

"If we had straight sunshine now until May and June, maybe it can be done, but I don't see how that soil gets back with expected rainfall."

Spring floods could yet impact an even bigger area of cropland. The US government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have warned of what could be an "unprecedented flood season" as it forecasts heavy spring rains. Rivers may swell further as a deep snowpack in northern growing areas melts.

The bomb cyclone of mid-March was the latest blow to farmers suffering from years of falling income and lower exports because of the US-China trade war.

Fields are strewn with everything from silt and sand to tires and some may not even be farmed this year. The water has also destroyed billions of dollars of old crops that were in storage, as well as damaging roads and railways.

Justin Mensik, a fifth-generation farmer of corn and soybeans in Morse Bluff, Nebraska, said rebuilding roads was the first priority. Then farmers would need to bring in fertilizer trucks and then test soil before seeding, Mensik said.

The flood "left a lot of silt and sand and mud in our fields, now we're not too sure if we're going to be able to get a good crop this year with all the new mud and junk that's just laying here," Mensik told Reuters.

Corn concern

For farmers, "the biggest concern right now is corn planting," said Aaron Saeugling, an agriculture expert at Iowa State University who does outreach with farmers. "There is just not going to be enough time to move a lot of that debris."

To be fully covered by crop insurance, Iowa farmers must plant corn by May 31 and soybeans by June 15, as yields decline dramatically when planted any later. Deadlines vary state by state. The insurance helps ensure minimum price farmers will receive when they book sales for their crops.

Nearly 1.1 million acres of cropland and more than 84,000 acres of pastureland in the US Midwest had flood water on it for at least seven days between March 8 and March 21, according to a preliminary analysis of government and satellite data by New-York based Gro Intelligence at the request of Reuters. The extent of the flooding had previously not been made public.

The flooded acreage represents less than 1 per cent of US land used to grow corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, cotton, sorghum and barley. In 2018, some 240 million total acres of these crops were planted in the United States, USDA data shows.

Iowa, the top US corn and No. 2 soy-producing state, had the most water, covering 474,271 acres, followed by Missouri with 203,188 acres, according to Gro Intelligence. That was in line with estimates given to Reuters this week by government officials in Iowa and Missouri.

Gro Intelligence used satellite data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Near-Real-Time Global Flood Mapping product, to calculate the approximate extent and intensity of flooding.

Gro Intelligence then identified how much of this area was either cropland or pastureland, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Gro Intelligence analysts cautioned the satellite imagery did not show the full extent of flooding in Nebraska, where officials declined to provide acreage estimates to Reuters, or in North Dakota. Nebraska's governor has said the floods caused agricultural damage of $1 billion in his state.

Cloud cover or snow on the ground makes it difficult to identify the flood waters in NASA satellite data, said Sara Menker, chief executive of the agricultural artificial intelligence company.

Lost cattle

In Missouri, floodwaters covered roughly 200,000 acres in five northwest counties adjoining the Missouri River as of Wednesday morning, said Charlie Rahm, spokesman for USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service in Columbia.

In Wisconsin, more than 1,000 dairy and beef animals were lost during winter storms and 480 agricultural structures collapsed or damaged, according to an email from Sandy Chalmers, executive director of the Wisconsin state office of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency.

In the Dakotas and Minnesota, melting snows in coming months will put spring wheat planting at risk. Gro Intelligence found nearly 160,000 acres have already been flooded in Minnesota.

"That's yet to come and we will deal with that at least until the middle of April," said Dave Nicolai, an agriculture expert at the University of Minnesota.

At least 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) of US farmland were flooded after the "bomb cyclone" storm left wide swaths of nine major grain producing states under water this month, satellite data analyzed by Gro Intelligence for Reuters showed.

At least 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) of US farmland were flooded after the "bomb cyclone" storm left wide swaths of nine major grain producing states under water this month, satellite data analyzed by Gro Intelligence for Reuters showed. Farms from the Dakotas to Missouri and beyond have been under water for a week or more, possibly impeding planting and damaging soil. The floods, which came just weeks before planting season starts in the Midwest, will likely reduce corn, wheat and soy production this year. "There's thousands of acres that won't be able to be planted," Ryan Sonderup, 36, of Fullerton, Nebraska, who has been farming for 18 years, said in a recent interview. "If we had straight sunshine now until May and June, maybe it can be done, but I don't see how that soil gets back with expected rainfall." Spring floods could yet impact an even bigger area of cropland. The US government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have warned of what could be an "unprecedented flood season" as it forecasts heavy spring rains. Rivers may swell further as a deep snowpack in northern growing areas melts. The bomb cyclone of mid-March was the latest blow to farmers suffering from years of falling income and lower exports because of the US-China trade war. Fields are strewn with everything from silt and sand to tires and some may not even be farmed this year. The water has also destroyed billions of dollars of old crops that were in storage, as well as damaging roads and railways. Justin Mensik, a fifth-generation farmer of corn and soybeans in Morse Bluff, Nebraska, said rebuilding roads was the first priority. Then farmers would need to bring in fertilizer trucks and then test soil before seeding, Mensik said. The flood "left a lot of silt and sand and mud in our fields, now we're not too sure if we're going to be able to get a good crop this year with all the new mud and junk that's just laying here," Mensik told Reuters. Corn concern For farmers, "the biggest concern right now is corn planting," said Aaron Saeugling, an agriculture expert at Iowa State University who does outreach with farmers. "There is just not going to be enough time to move a lot of that debris." To be fully covered by crop insurance, Iowa farmers must plant corn by May 31 and soybeans by June 15, as yields decline dramatically when planted any later. Deadlines vary state by state. The insurance helps ensure minimum price farmers will receive when they book sales for their crops. Nearly 1.1 million acres of cropland and more than 84,000 acres of pastureland in the US Midwest had flood water on it for at least seven days between March 8 and March 21, according to a preliminary analysis of government and satellite data by New-York based Gro Intelligence at the request of Reuters. The extent of the flooding had previously not been made public. The flooded acreage represents less than 1 per cent of US land used to grow corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, cotton, sorghum and barley. In 2018, some 240 million total acres of these crops were planted in the United States, USDA data shows. Iowa, the top US corn and No. 2 soy-producing state, had the most water, covering 474,271 acres, followed by Missouri with 203,188 acres, according to Gro Intelligence. That was in line with estimates given to Reuters this week by government officials in Iowa and Missouri. Gro Intelligence used satellite data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Near-Real-Time Global Flood Mapping product, to calculate the approximate extent and intensity of flooding. Gro Intelligence then identified how much of this area was either cropland or pastureland, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Gro Intelligence analysts cautioned the satellite imagery did not show the full extent of flooding in Nebraska, where officials declined to provide acreage estimates to Reuters, or in North Dakota. Nebraska's governor has said the floods caused agricultural damage of $1 billion in his state. Cloud cover or snow on the ground makes it difficult to identify the flood waters in NASA satellite data, said Sara Menker, chief executive of the agricultural artificial intelligence company. Lost cattle In Missouri, floodwaters covered roughly 200,000 acres in five northwest counties adjoining the Missouri River as of Wednesday morning, said Charlie Rahm, spokesman for USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service in Columbia. In Wisconsin, more than 1,000 dairy and beef animals were lost during winter storms and 480 agricultural structures collapsed or damaged, according to an email from Sandy Chalmers, executive director of the Wisconsin state office of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. In the Dakotas and Minnesota, melting snows in coming months will put spring wheat planting at risk. Gro Intelligence found nearly 160,000 acres have already been flooded in Minnesota. "That's yet to come and we will deal with that at least until the middle of April," said Dave Nicolai, an agriculture expert at the University of Minnesota.

More than 1 million acres of US cropland ravaged by floods

US President Barack Obama issued a disaster declaration yesterday for flood-ravaged Louisiana, where at least five people have died and emergency crews have rescued more than 7,000 people stranded by historic flooding. 
 
Governor John Bel Edwards said residents had been pulled from swamped cars, flooded homes and threatened hospitals across the southern part of the state. The already soaked region is expected to get more rain from a storm system stretching from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley. 
 
While the brunt of the storm that brought torrential rains was moving west toward Texas, Louisiana residents should remain cautious, the governor said at a news conference. 
 
&quot;Even with the sunshine out today intermittently, the waters are going to continue to rise in many areas, so this is no time to let the guard down,&quot; Edwards said, calling the flooding unprecedented. 
 
Obama issued the disaster declaration after speaking with Edwards, the White House said in a statement. 
 
The initial declaration makes federal aid available in the parishes of East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Helena and Tangipahoa. Edwards said in a statement that other parishes could be added to the list. 
 
Emergency officials still were working on strategies to rescue an undetermined number of people trapped by the waters. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re very much still in the search and rescue mode,&quot; said James Waskcom, director of the state&#39;s office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 
 
In Livingston Parish, phone service was spotty due to the high waters and most shelters were full. A Greyhound bus traveling from Memphis, Tennessee, to Baton Rouge was diverted to a shelter because of flooded roadways. 
 
About 5,000 people had been forced to sleep in shelters overnight around the state, said Marketa Walters, head of Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. 
 
Louisiana state police colonel Michael Edmonson said helicopters were transporting food and water to those still trapped by floods. Helicopters also were transporting some seriously ill people to areas outside the high waters. 
 
Some 1,700 members of the Louisiana National Guard have been deployed for rescue efforts. 
 
Even as the state grappled with high waters, the National Weather Service forecast heavy rain from the Gulf Coast as far north as the Ohio Valley through Monday, with a threat of flash flooding. 
 
A flash flood watch was in place until Monday morning for Houston, where rains killed at least eight in late April. 
 
At least five people had died in Louisiana from the high water. Ronda Durbin, a spokeswoman for Tangipahoa Parish, said by telephone that searchers yesterday recovered the body of a man reported swept away on Friday. 
 
The body of a woman also was recovered from a submerged vehicle in the parish, she said. 
 
On Saturday, the body of a woman was recovered from the Tickfaw River, in St. Helena Parish northeast of Baton Rouge, after a car in which she was riding was swept away. 
 
A 54-year-old man in Greensburg in the northern part of the state died when his vehicle was swept off the road, state police said. 
 
The body of a 68-year-old man was recovered on Friday near Baker after he drowned, said William &quot;Beau&quot; Clark, the coroner in East Baton Rouge Parish. 
 
Another person is also believed missing in St. Helena Parish, Edwards said. 
 
(Reuters)

Emergency officials working on strategies to rescue many more trapped in the southeastern US state

US President Barack Obama issued a disaster declaration yesterday for flood-ravaged Louisiana, where at least five people have died and emergency crews have rescued more than 7,000 people stranded by historic flooding. Governor John Bel Edwards said residents had been pulled from swamped cars, flooded homes and threatened hospitals across the southern part of the state. The already soaked region is expected to get more rain from a storm system stretching from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley. While the brunt of the storm that brought torrential rains was moving west toward Texas, Louisiana residents should remain cautious, the governor said at a news conference. "Even with the sunshine out today intermittently, the waters are going to continue to rise in many areas, so this is no time to let the guard down," Edwards said, calling the flooding unprecedented. Obama issued the disaster declaration after speaking with Edwards, the White House said in a statement. The initial declaration makes federal aid available in the parishes of East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Helena and Tangipahoa. Edwards said in a statement that other parishes could be added to the list. Emergency officials still were working on strategies to rescue an undetermined number of people trapped by the waters. "We're very much still in the search and rescue mode," said James Waskcom, director of the state's office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. In Livingston Parish, phone service was spotty due to the high waters and most shelters were full. A Greyhound bus traveling from Memphis, Tennessee, to Baton Rouge was diverted to a shelter because of flooded roadways. About 5,000 people had been forced to sleep in shelters overnight around the state, said Marketa Walters, head of Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. Louisiana state police colonel Michael Edmonson said helicopters were transporting food and water to those still trapped by floods. Helicopters also were transporting some seriously ill people to areas outside the high waters. Some 1,700 members of the Louisiana National Guard have been deployed for rescue efforts. Even as the state grappled with high waters, the National Weather Service forecast heavy rain from the Gulf Coast as far north as the Ohio Valley through Monday, with a threat of flash flooding. A flash flood watch was in place until Monday morning for Houston, where rains killed at least eight in late April. At least five people had died in Louisiana from the high water. Ronda Durbin, a spokeswoman for Tangipahoa Parish, said by telephone that searchers yesterday recovered the body of a man reported swept away on Friday. The body of a woman also was recovered from a submerged vehicle in the parish, she said. On Saturday, the body of a woman was recovered from the Tickfaw River, in St. Helena Parish northeast of Baton Rouge, after a car in which she was riding was swept away. A 54-year-old man in Greensburg in the northern part of the state died when his vehicle was swept off the road, state police said. The body of a 68-year-old man was recovered on Friday near Baker after he drowned, said William "Beau" Clark, the coroner in East Baton Rouge Parish. Another person is also believed missing in St. Helena Parish, Edwards said. (Reuters)

Louisiana floods kill 5, President Obama declares disaster

Emergency crews in flood-devastated Louisiana have rescued more than 20,000 people after catastrophic inundations that left at least five dead, news reports said Monday. 
 
As many as 10,000 people are living in shelters after a weekend of torrential rains that has prompted the federal government to declare a disaster, according to Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards. 
 
At least five people have died in the flooding, including a woman whose car was washed away Saturday night when she tried to turn around in high water, CNN reported, quoting officials in East Baton Rouge. 
 
The White House action makes emergency federal funding available to support rescue crews working nonstop. 
 
&quot;This is a serious event,&quot; Edwards said on Sunday of the record floods. 
 
&quot;This is ongoing,&quot; he added. &quot;This is not over,&quot; even with the rains lessening as they move west and the sun appearing in some flooded areas. 
 
The flooding submerged large parts of the region on Sunday, three days after water-swelled streams and rivers began rising. 
 
Thousands were evacuated in Livingston Parish, near the capital Baton Rouge, the sheriff&#39;s department told local media. 
 
In one dramatic rescue in Baton Rouge captured on video, rescuers on a boat pulled a woman from a car that had just slipped under water. 
 
The woman shouts, &quot;Oh my God, I&#39;m drowning!&quot; 
 
A rescuer jumps into the murky brown water and pulls her out by the arm. When she tries to dive under for her dog, he goes underwater and reappears holding the dog. 
 
Most of the flooding has been around the capital Baton Rouge. 
 
Edwards said he and his family were forced to leave the governor&#39;s mansion after water filled the basement, shutting off electricity. 
 
The heavy rains began Friday, with between six and 10 inches (15 to 25 centimetres) of rain falling on parts of southeast Louisiana, and several more inches on Saturday, the National Weather Service said. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

As many as 10,000 people are living in shelters after a weekend of torrential rains

Emergency crews in flood-devastated Louisiana have rescued more than 20,000 people after catastrophic inundations that left at least five dead, news reports said Monday. As many as 10,000 people are living in shelters after a weekend of torrential rains that has prompted the federal government to declare a disaster, according to Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards. At least five people have died in the flooding, including a woman whose car was washed away Saturday night when she tried to turn around in high water, CNN reported, quoting officials in East Baton Rouge. The White House action makes emergency federal funding available to support rescue crews working nonstop. "This is a serious event," Edwards said on Sunday of the record floods. "This is ongoing," he added. "This is not over," even with the rains lessening as they move west and the sun appearing in some flooded areas. The flooding submerged large parts of the region on Sunday, three days after water-swelled streams and rivers began rising. Thousands were evacuated in Livingston Parish, near the capital Baton Rouge, the sheriff's department told local media. In one dramatic rescue in Baton Rouge captured on video, rescuers on a boat pulled a woman from a car that had just slipped under water. The woman shouts, "Oh my God, I'm drowning!" A rescuer jumps into the murky brown water and pulls her out by the arm. When she tries to dive under for her dog, he goes underwater and reappears holding the dog. Most of the flooding has been around the capital Baton Rouge. Edwards said he and his family were forced to leave the governor's mansion after water filled the basement, shutting off electricity. The heavy rains began Friday, with between six and 10 inches (15 to 25 centimetres) of rain falling on parts of southeast Louisiana, and several more inches on Saturday, the National Weather Service said. (AFP)

Louisiana floods: Five dead, 20,000 rescued

Torrential rainfall along the US Gulf Coast has caused &quot;unprecedented&quot; flooding in parts of Louisiana, while claiming at least two lives across the region, Governor John Bel Edwards said on Saturday (August 13). In Baker and East Baton Rouge parish, floodwaters had reached record levels, NBC reported.

Rescue crews used boats to help residents trapped at home by the rising waters that swamped roads streets and left houses partially submerged. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve been living in this area since the mid 80&#39;s and I&#39;ve never ever seen the water like this, it&#39;s just unreal,&quot; said Baker fire chief Danny Edwards. 
 
In East Baton Rouge parish residents waded through waist-deep water with their belongings. 
 
Edwards, who has called a state of emergency in Louisiana, said emergency workers had to rescue more than 1,000 people from homes, cars and trees as rivers in the southern part of the state spilled over. 
 
Even as the severe weather eased in the eastern part of the region, rivers further west in Louisiana were spilling over, and flooding could worsen over the next 24 to 36 hours, Edwards said. 
 
He described the floods as more severe than those that struck the state in March, when at least four were killed and thousands of homes were damaged in Louisiana and Mississippi. He asked residents to obey evacuation orders and stay away from the waters 
 
&quot;What we know is we have record levels of flooding along rivers and creeks,&quot; Edwards said. &quot;If you are living in those areas and you&#39;ve been advised to evacuate you need to do that. You need to heed these warnings and please don&#39;t rely upon your experiences in the past.&quot; 
 
The National Weather Service issued flood watches for parts of eastern Texas early on Saturday and extended its flash flood warning further west in Louisiana, according to its website. 
 
It also maintained a flash flood watch and flood warnings for eastern regions of the state, including New Orleans, and southern Mississippi. Over 17 inches (43 cm) of rain had battered parts of Louisiana by Saturday morning, with another several inches expected later in the day and on Sunday, the NWS said. 
 
(Reuters)

Rescue crews used boats to help residents trapped at home due to rising waters

Torrential rainfall along the US Gulf Coast has caused "unprecedented" flooding in parts of Louisiana, while claiming at least two lives across the region, Governor John Bel Edwards said on Saturday (August 13). In Baker and East Baton Rouge parish, floodwaters had reached record levels, NBC reported. Rescue crews used boats to help residents trapped at home by the rising waters that swamped roads streets and left houses partially submerged. "We've been living in this area since the mid 80's and I've never ever seen the water like this, it's just unreal," said Baker fire chief Danny Edwards. In East Baton Rouge parish residents waded through waist-deep water with their belongings. Edwards, who has called a state of emergency in Louisiana, said emergency workers had to rescue more than 1,000 people from homes, cars and trees as rivers in the southern part of the state spilled over. Even as the severe weather eased in the eastern part of the region, rivers further west in Louisiana were spilling over, and flooding could worsen over the next 24 to 36 hours, Edwards said. He described the floods as more severe than those that struck the state in March, when at least four were killed and thousands of homes were damaged in Louisiana and Mississippi. He asked residents to obey evacuation orders and stay away from the waters "What we know is we have record levels of flooding along rivers and creeks," Edwards said. "If you are living in those areas and you've been advised to evacuate you need to do that. You need to heed these warnings and please don't rely upon your experiences in the past." The National Weather Service issued flood watches for parts of eastern Texas early on Saturday and extended its flash flood warning further west in Louisiana, according to its website. It also maintained a flash flood watch and flood warnings for eastern regions of the state, including New Orleans, and southern Mississippi. Over 17 inches (43 cm) of rain had battered parts of Louisiana by Saturday morning, with another several inches expected later in the day and on Sunday, the NWS said. (Reuters)

Floods claim 2 lives in US state of Louisiana

Before Cathy Light and her husband Chris jumped in a rescue boat in Clendenin following a massive deluge in their area, the husband-wife duo could only save their dog Odie and a TV that sat atop a bedroom dresser, the highest-up they stored anything in their house.&nbsp; 
 
The heavy rains that pummeled West Virginia on Thursday resulted in at least 24 deaths, leaving families homeless with the tearful realisation that they&#39;re starting from scratch. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t have anything,&quot; said Cathy, as she ate the free meal provided by Grace Community Church. &quot;Where do we go now?&quot; she helplessly asked.&nbsp; 
 
The scene in Clendenin, located in Kanawha County, wasn&#39;t as deadly as in Ranielle. Sixteen people died in Greenbrier County, at least 15 of them in Ranielle. Greenbrier is the only county where Governor Earl Ray Tomblin&#39;s administration believes people remain missing. 
 
&quot;It does not appear there are unaccounted for people in other counties, but it&#39;s still a somewhat fluid situation,&quot; informed Chris Stadelman, Tomblin&#39;s chief of staff. 
 
Ranielle Mayor Andrea &quot;Andy&quot; Pendleton wept as she surveyed her town after floods. &quot;I weep for my people, I weep for the businesses,&quot; she said. 
 
Search and rescue teams went house to house, marking those checked with a spray-painted &#39;X.&#39; Abandoned pets were taken to a shelter. A water department filtration system, built with a $2.6 million loan, was damaged, Pendleton said. 
 
 
Multiple rivers have risen to dangerous heights&nbsp; 
Hundreds have been rescued from swamped homes following West Virgina&#39;s worst flooding in more than a century, officials said on Friday.&nbsp; 
 
The mountainous state was pummeled by up to 10 inches of rain on Thursday, causing rivers and streams to overflow. 
 
The hardest-hit area was Greenbrier County in the southeast of the state, with 15 deaths, said. A spokeswoman for the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.&nbsp; 
 
Multiple rivers have risen to dangerous heights, including the Elk River, which reached 32 feet, the highest since 1888, Tomblin said. 
 
Government officials are focusing resources on rescuing those trapped or swept away by the flooding, he said, adding that some 66,000 residences are without power. 
 
In Elkview, emergency crews built a temporary roadway at the Crossings Plaza shopping center to rescue hundreds of people who were trapped there after the bridge connecting the shopping center to the road collapsed, NBC said. 
 
The governor declared a state of emergency in 44 of 55 counties and deployed 200 members of the West Virginia National Guard to help rescue efforts on Friday. 
 
Though rivers were expected to crest by Friday night, the rescue and recovery effort is likely to last through the weekend, the local authorities said. 
 
 
(Agencies)&nbsp; 
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?The mountainous state was pummeled by up to 10 inches of rain on Thursday, causing rivers and streams to overflow, resulting in 24 deaths

Before Cathy Light and her husband Chris jumped in a rescue boat in Clendenin following a massive deluge in their area, the husband-wife duo could only save their dog Odie and a TV that sat atop a bedroom dresser, the highest-up they stored anything in their house. The heavy rains that pummeled West Virginia on Thursday resulted in at least 24 deaths, leaving families homeless with the tearful realisation that they're starting from scratch. "I don't have anything," said Cathy, as she ate the free meal provided by Grace Community Church. "Where do we go now?" she helplessly asked. The scene in Clendenin, located in Kanawha County, wasn't as deadly as in Ranielle. Sixteen people died in Greenbrier County, at least 15 of them in Ranielle. Greenbrier is the only county where Governor Earl Ray Tomblin's administration believes people remain missing. "It does not appear there are unaccounted for people in other counties, but it's still a somewhat fluid situation," informed Chris Stadelman, Tomblin's chief of staff. Ranielle Mayor Andrea "Andy" Pendleton wept as she surveyed her town after floods. "I weep for my people, I weep for the businesses," she said. Search and rescue teams went house to house, marking those checked with a spray-painted 'X.' Abandoned pets were taken to a shelter. A water department filtration system, built with a $2.6 million loan, was damaged, Pendleton said. Multiple rivers have risen to dangerous heights Hundreds have been rescued from swamped homes following West Virgina's worst flooding in more than a century, officials said on Friday. The mountainous state was pummeled by up to 10 inches of rain on Thursday, causing rivers and streams to overflow. The hardest-hit area was Greenbrier County in the southeast of the state, with 15 deaths, said. A spokeswoman for the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Multiple rivers have risen to dangerous heights, including the Elk River, which reached 32 feet, the highest since 1888, Tomblin said. Government officials are focusing resources on rescuing those trapped or swept away by the flooding, he said, adding that some 66,000 residences are without power. In Elkview, emergency crews built a temporary roadway at the Crossings Plaza shopping center to rescue hundreds of people who were trapped there after the bridge connecting the shopping center to the road collapsed, NBC said. The governor declared a state of emergency in 44 of 55 counties and deployed 200 members of the West Virginia National Guard to help rescue efforts on Friday. Though rivers were expected to crest by Friday night, the rescue and recovery effort is likely to last through the weekend, the local authorities said. (Agencies)

West Virginia floods: Disaster-hit families try to recover, rescue operations continue

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