Rain Soaks Much of East; Floods Feared

Heavy rain and thunderstorms covered the East and flash flood watches were issued in several states Friday, while a community near Baton Rouge was declared a disaster area after tornadoes killed five people in Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle.

Thunderstorms extended across the south Atlantic Coast and rain extended from Ohio across Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and southeast New York state to southern New England, the National Weather Service reported.

Flash flood watches were issued for southern New England, southeast New York, northern New Jersey and the Philadelphia area, and tornado watches were in effect for parts of the Carolinas, southeast Georgia and northern Florida.

30-Minute Drenching

More than 2 inches of rain fell in 30 minutes at Amherst, N.Y., with some residents reporting flooded basements.

The heaviest rainfall was in the Florida Panhandle, where the town of Milton received more than 15 inches during a 24-hour period. Crestview was swamped with more than 11 inches and Pensacola reported almost 5 inches.

Valdosta, Ga., got nearly 5 inches of rain, and a tornado touched down near Moody Air Force Base, but no major damage or injuries were reported.

Thunderstorms occurred over the eastern Great Lakes region also, especially southeast Lower Michigan. Showers and thunderstorms extended across western parts of the central and southern Great Plains and into the Colorado mountains.

Tornado cleanup was in full swing Friday near Baton Rouge, La., and in the Florida Panhandle, authorities said.

A dozen twisters Thursday evening hammered the small fishing village of Eastpoint, Fla., where three people were killed, and at least four tornadoes hit Louisiana, killing two people.

Franklin County Sheriff’s Department dispatcher Robert Coursey said the tornadoes destroyed several homes and businesses in Eastpoint, about 85 miles southwest of Tallahassee. Cleanup was proceeding, and no evacuations were planned.

The Louisiana cleanup continued in the parishes of Iberville, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Helena, Vernon, Winn, Evangeline, Iberia, St. Landry and Avoyelles, all hit by high winds and tornadoes Thursday.

About 100 families left homeless in Grosse Tete, where two people were killed by a twister that hit two mobile homes, were being housed in Red Cross shelters set up in that community and in nearby Baton Rouge. Officials in that Iberville Parish community proclaimed it a disaster area and began the process of obtaining federal assistance.