LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Another round of severe storms hammered a large area of the United States and Canada, causing flash floods and water rescues in the Ozark Mountains on Wednesday, spawning a tornado that devastated a town in upstate New York, and leaving drivers stranded in high water around Toronto.
This ongoing series of storms has resulted in deaths and damage from the Plains to New England this week. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost power and air conditioning during days of intense heat.
Up to 11 inches (nearly 28 centimeters) of rain fell overnight into Wednesday in parts of the Ozarks in Arkansas and Missouri, according to the National Weather Service.
86 people were evacuated from a nursing home in Yellville, Arkansas, where flash flooding caused water levels to rise to about 4 feet (1.2 meters), Marion County Sheriff Gregg Alexander said. In Flippin, Arkansas, residents were urged to evacuate before floodwaters began to recede. In Greenbrier, at least 30 residents were evacuated from an apartment complex.
Bill Scruggs and his team from Wild Bill’s Outfitter saved their canoes and kayaks from flooding in the Buffalo National River in Arkansas as waters rose before dawn Wednesday.
Almost 5 inches of rain fell overnight in Branson, Missouri, leading to the evacuation of several campgrounds and a flooded mobile home park in nearby Hollister.
In upstate New York, cities declared states of emergency after a storm swept through with high winds and lightning. A tornado in Rome caused damage to vehicles, buildings, and landmarks.
Gov. Kathy Hochul described the damage in Rome as “miraculous” as no one was killed despite significant destruction to buildings and structures. An 82-year-old man died in Canastota due to storm debris.
In Keene, New Hampshire, trees fell on houses and cars, forcing residents to evacuate. Toronto experienced flooding that closed major roads and required the rescue of stranded drivers.
Across the U.S., the storms have led to at least five deaths. Flooding killed an 88-year-old couple in Illinois, a 76-year-old passenger in a pickup truck in Illinois, and a 44-year-old woman in Indiana.
White reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Karen Matthews in New York City, Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, and Nick Perry in Boston contributed to this report.
