No more rain, a tropical storm threatens to invade Arkansas, Missouri

More rains are expected this week in much of the central and southern United States, in areas already flooded by unprecedented floods.

"Many places in the central and southern plains in the Mississippi and Ohio valleys could receive 1 to 3 inches of rain over the coming week," warned the Weather Channel, with "up until now". to 5 inches of rain possible in some areas ".

To make matters worse, rains coming from a tropical storm developing in the Gulf of Mexico could bring additional rainfall to the region: "Tropical Humidity from the West Gulf of Mexico could begin Tuesday to touch areas of South Texas, "said the National Weather Service.

The weather system, which would be called Tropical Storm Barry if its winds blow at 39 mph, now sits in the Gulf, just east of Mexico.

According to the National Hurricane Center, "the system is expected to move slowly from the northwest to the northeastern coast of Mexico and could become a tropical cyclone before moving inland in a day or two."

Whether or not a tropical storm, the system's moisture "will spread to the north and east," said the meteorological service, "with abundant to excessive rainfall, especially in areas affected by floods. moderate to important ".

Heavy rains from the system are also expected to spread in southeastern Texas and Louisiana until Thursday, the hurricane center said.

The most severe floods are currently occurring in Arkansas and Missouri, the National Weather Service announced.

Along the Arkansas River in Arkansas, communities were preparing for new heights. Authorities have ordered the mandatory evacuation of about 500 homes located in Jefferson County's dike system, just southwest of Little Rock.

"Horrible scenes in Jefferson County and Pine Bluff in Arkansas," tweeted Brian Emfinger of KATV-TV in Little Rock on Sunday.

In North Little Rock, on the other side of the river, on the other side of the capital, officials went door-to-door Saturday to urge residents of nearly 150 homes near the river to consider leaving.

"We have been living here for 12 years. It's never been that way, "said Larry Campbell, packing his stuff from his North Little Rock home in the back of a truck, according to KTHT-TV in Little Rock. "It's hard, it's really hard."

"You just have to make a decision because you're going to lose everything," said Campbell, stifling his tears.

In Missouri, the swollen rivers of Missouri and Mississippi have forced hundreds of roads to close and have flooded homes and businesses.

In St. Louis, several hotels crowded with visitors for the Stanley Cup final and Cardinals-Cubs baseball games found themselves without hot water Sunday after being overwhelmed by a pumping station.

Heavy rains in recent weeks broke all records in May in the central United States, inflating rivers to record levels in parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

So far, 10 sites have set new record levels of rivers during this prolonged siege of heavy rains, Weather Channel said.

Contribute: The Associated Press

Read or share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/06/03/record-floods-more-rain-tropical-storm-threatens-swamped-arkansas-missouri/1327165001/