Cindy remnants drench huge swath of U.S.
Storm’s effects making beeline for East Coast
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Rain bands reeling away from Tropical Depression Cindy spread drenching rains Friday from the Southeast to the Midwest, triggering flash flood warnings over several states.
The severe weather, which was blamed for recent coastal flooding in the Deep South, tornadoes and one death, is rumbling closer to the densely populated East Coast.
National Weather Service forecasters said rainfall totals of 2-4 inches were possible in several states, with up to 6 inches in isolated spots. Flash flood watches were issued for much of Kentucky and West Virginia. Last June, torrential rains in West Virginia claimed 23 lives, and memories of that disaster remained fresh at somber ceremonies honoring the dead.
Labeled a 1,000-year flood by the National Weather Service, the storm destroyed more than 2,100 homes statewide and damaged another 2,000.
With Cindy’s remnants a threat over a huge area, many just hoped severe weather would pass them without harm.
“We should have a comfortable weekend coming up if we can just get through tonight and tomorrow,” said Greg Meffert, lead forecaster in the Paducah, Kentucky, weather service office.
The U.S. Storm Prediction Center said severe storms pose a lingering threat from the Southeast into western Pennsylvania. Even Indiana felt the impact of Cindy, which sprang Tuesday from the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical storm before roughing up the Deep South and making landfall Thursday. It has since weakened to a depression while heading far inland.
Heavy rainfall associated with remnants of the storm caused scattered street flooding across central and southern Indiana on Friday. Weather service flood warnings covered most of the southern twothirds of the state, with more than 3 inches of rainfall having accumulated in some places by midday and minor flooding expected along some Indiana rivers.
Emergency crews helped some people from stranded vehicles in Muncie, Indiana, including a nearly submerged SUV at a railroad underpass. Low-lying roads in many areas were covered with water. Early Friday, high winds also peeled off part of the roof from a high school near South Bend, leaving 10 classrooms damaged. No injuries were reported.
Cindy was blamed for one death: Nolan Mccabe, 10, of St. Louis, was vacationing with family on the Alabama coast when he was hit by a log carried in on a big wave. Cindy also caused widespread coastal highway and several short-lived tornadoes.
In Alabama, the weather service said, an EF-2 twister with winds up to 120 mph struck just outside Birmingham on Thursday. Several businesses were damaged and at least four people were hurt.
In Tennessee, Memphis Light Gas and Water reported that as many as 10,000 customers were without power Friday morning.