Fierce storms that deluged widely separated parts of the country from the upper Mississippi to Texas have caused at least 20 deaths since last week, authorities said Monday. New rain threatened further flooding in southeastern Minnesota and adjacent Wisconsin.At least six people died in Oklahoma, including the wife of the chairman of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and two other relatives, who drowned when their Dodge Caravan was swept away by swirling waters. Eight others died in Texas, including two in the collapse of a supermarket roof outside Houston.
In Minnesota, Gov. Tim Pawlenty declared a state of emergency Sunday for six southeastern counties where heavy rain produced flash flooding and mudslides, washing out roads and bridges and sweeping away houses. Six people were reported dead as of Monday, and a 37-year-old man was missing.
Eight to 11 inches of rain fell in Minnesota, and at least three towns were evacuated, emergency officials said. National forecasters warned that showers and isolated thunderstorms "will irritate already high river and stream levels and flooded areas."
Read More
