Nation IN BRIEF : THE SOUTH : Rainstorms Trigger New Orleans Floods

Heavy rain drenched the South, flooding the streets of New Orleans with as much as 3 feet of water, while severe weather swept across the Midwest and threatened to spawn tornadoes in at least four states. Up to 9 inches of rain fell on the greater New Orleans area in a 4-hour period, causing widespread flooding in the city and surrounding parishes. Some streets were under as much as 3 feet of water. Thunderstorms and heavy rains also swept through Jackson, Miss., causing some flash flooding. Thunderstorms produced heavy rain across the nation’s midsection and threatened tornadoes in eastern Missouri, southern Illinois, western Kentucky and west Tennessee.