On Thursday, the flash flooding threat will expand to more states.
Four people, including a 4-year-old, have died in devastating flooding in Alabama.
Up to 13 inches of rain fell — with rates as high as 5 inches per hour — in Jefferson and Shelby counties, which includes Birmingham and hard-hit Pelham.
A 4-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman died as a result of the flooding in Marshall County, located in northern Alabama, the county coroner’s office said.
In Hoover, near Birmingham, two 23 year-olds were found after their car was swept away in floodwaters, the Shelby County Coroner said Thursday.
Hoover officials said earlier that crews searched through the night for two people who were in a car that was swept away in the floodwaters.
In Pelham, fire officials said they responded to 282 calls for service. Officials conducted 82 rescues from homes and over a dozen rescues from cars.
Schools in Pelham are closed Thursday due to the excessive flooding. A flash flood watch remains in effect through Thursday night.
The flash flooding threat is expanding Thursday into Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida.
Residents in Panama City, Montgomery, Birmingham, Atlanta and Asheville should be prepared for flooding.
East of Asheville, rainfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour have been reported. A state of emergency was issued in McDowell County, North Carolina.
By Friday the Southeast will finally start to dry out as the heavy rain shifts into parts of the Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic.
