The long -lasting storm is soaked in the central United States but begins to change the east

The huge storm system that caused widespread damage to the central United States is bringing stronger rains and strong twenty on Sunday, continuing its stretch of days of soaking from Texas to Ohio while he starts moving east.

The heaviest rains on the weekend so far have fallen to Arkansas, Missouri and Kentucky, and the increase in water levels and floods have pushed water saves, road closures and evacuation orders. The storm killed at least 16 people, including a 5 -year -old boy in Arkansas, a 9 -year -old boy in Kentucky and a firefighter in Missouri, since he started on Wednesday.

The threat of storms and rainfall will move to the east but will decrease on Sunday, which will be a welcome recovery for residents in the South and Midwest. In some areas – including northern Arkansas and southern Missouri – rivers should be ridiculous on Sunday and perhaps until Wednesday, but the risk of dangerous floods will not be as high as Friday and Saturday.

While the worst of the rain ended in the north of Kentucky, the parts of the region should still receive up to five inches of rain before the long stretch of bad weather in the end lightens, second The national weather service. “Moderate to Major” floods It was foreseen on many rivers of the region.

“Given the fact that everything is so saturated, everything is just running from the ground and in inlets and waterways,” said Nate McGinnis, the weather of the agency in Wilmington, Ohio.

On Sunday, Eastern Mississippi, almost all of Alabama, north -western Georgia and Eastern Tennessee will have to face the weight of the storm, according to the Weather Prediction Center.

A tornado landed in the Barton area, near the city of Florence, in Ala., The end of Saturday, the National Weather Service he said. Parts of the South -est, from the South -est of Louisiana at the western end of Virginia, were at risk of tornadoes.

During the weekend, emergency operators in the states including Arkansas, Missouri and Kentucky were engaged in water rescue missions when flooding waters have increased. A firefighter in Missouri died during a rescue call and the body of a 74 -year -old man was found in a submerged vehicle in Kentucky.

Parts of the County of Montgomery, Ky., They were evacuated, they said county officials on social media. With the forecasts of the Kentucky river for the 47 -foot emblem, the region could experience an almost record flood, officials of the nearby county of Woodford he said In a video update. “This is a catastrophe. This is a disastrous event,” said James Kay, the manager of the county judge, in the video, adding that some low houses had already been flooded by six to eight feet of water.

Also parts of Shelbyville, Ky. he said.

Falmouth, Ky., A small town of 2,500 on the Licking river, was also under an order of compulsory evacuation and many residents fled on Friday evening and Saturday morning in anticipation of important floods.

Debbie Dennie, a former editor of the newspaper Falmouth Outlook, said that, if the forecasts remain during the weekend, “it would be devastating” for the city. He recalled floods in the city in 1997, who killed five people. From that disaster, the river calibers have been installed to trace better water levels and the displaced people listened to warnings on the rise of the river.

The worst of the storm has largely overcome the communities along the rivers of Mississippi and Ohio, but many areas are still unleashing from the damage. In Cape Girardeau, Mo., along the Mississippi river, a pizzeria was closed indefinitely after the collapse of the roof and the windows of an antique shop were swept away.

Kyleigh Baliva, who works in a separate antique shop owned by her family, recalled when her shop recently flooded. “The water came because of the rain. He had no place to go,” he said. “We saw him happen before, but it didn’t happen in at least 10 years like this.”

His antiques shop, which has a pump in the basement, was largely spared by recent floods.

In Tyrone, Jessica Stratton, grown there, knows that her camper is already a loss and expects it to be laid away. Saturday, he brought the expense he had left in his camper to Tyrone Baptist Church to organize and serve meals to those who had been displaced. He was planning to stay in the night in the church or with friends.

“People are prepared and pull their things out. We look at and wait and make sure that everyone is well and have something to eat,” said Mrs. Stratton. “I’m not leaving my people behind. Everyone is worth saving.”

Carly Gist, Mitch Smith, Amy Graff, Yan Zhuang AND Ginny Whitehouse Contributed relationships.