T.S. Fay floods Florida Atlantic coast

PALM BEACH, Fla., Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Florida's Atlantic coast was being deluged by swirling rains from Tropical Storm Fay Wednesday leaving streets and roads under water.

Up to 10 inches of rain had fallen across the parts of region by 7 a.m. Wednesday according to preliminary figures from the South Florida Water Management District, with other authorities saying more than a quarter of the roads in St. Lucie County were closed or impassable, the Palm Beach Post reported.

"We've never seen it this bad before," said Ed Cunningham, spokesman for Port St. Lucie where managers have called for a voluntary evacuation of areas east of U.S. Highway 1.

Fay is moving at only about 5 mph and is expected to slowly crawl up the coast until a high pressure ridge eventually pushes it inland. The exact timing of that is unknown, National Hurricane Center spokesman and meteorologist Dennis Feltgen said.