Major flash flooding in Alabama has killed at least 4 and forced nearly 100 rescue missions from homes and cars
- Major flash flooding in Alabama on Wednesday night left at least four people dead.
- The disaster prompted nearly 100 rescue missions from homes and cars, CNN reported.
- A flood watch remains in effect through 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Major flash flooding in parts of Alabama on Wednesday night left at least four people dead and forced missions to rescue people from homes and cars in the Birmingham area, AL.com reported on Thursday.
Two people were found dead in Marshall County, and two dead bodies were found in a vehicle in the city of Hoover, according to the report.
A 4-year-old girl died in the town of Arab, about 60 miles north of Birmingham, according to the Marshall County Coroner's Office.
Later, an 18-year-old female's body was recovered, AL.com reported, and the identity of the other two victims is not yet known.
In Pelham, a city 20 miles south of Birmingham, first responders received more than 280 calls for help, CNN reported, and they made 95 rescues from homes and cars.
"Our city was just affected back in March by a tornado, so we still have residents recovering from that. So this has been a tough year for Pelham," Police Chief Pat Cheatwood told reporters on Thursday.
Late Wednesday night, the National Weather Service referred to the unfolding disaster as "life-threatening flooding."
"Please remain at home! Do not enter flood waters if you're already out traveling," the agency wrote in a tweet.
Heavy rainfall has tormented pockets of central Alabama for a few days now, with some areas seeing 6 to 13 inches of rain, the NWS said, and more could still come on Thursday.
Already, the rainfall crushed the October average of 3.34 inches, according to CNN.
A flood watch remains in effect for central Alabama through Thursday evening.