Feb. 26 (UPI) -- Heavy rains and at least a dozen tornadoes hit the central and southern United States over the weekend, triggering major flooding in many areas.
Officials said tornadoes damaged 90 homes and several structures in Tennessee -- and in Kentucky, two people were killed when an EF-2 tornado hit with maximum winds of 135 mph and a width of up to 400 yards. Another tornado struck Hopkinsville, Ky.
Areas from northeastern Texas, the lower Mississippi Valley, Ohio River Valley and southern Great Lakes were swamped with rainfall. Floodwaters on the Ohio River reached their highest level -- more than 60 feet -- in over 20 years.
The Ohio River crested at 34 feet in Louisville, rising to its tenth-highest level on record, the National Weather Service said. In the Cincinnati metro area, the river crested above 60 feet for the first time since 1997.
As of Monday morning, more than 200 rivers from the Great Lakes region to eastern Texas reported flood levels.
Additionally, some cities are concerned about another storm that's expected to develop over central states this week.
Forecasters said the new storm front will spread moderate to heavy rain on hard hit areas beginning Tuesday. The already saturated soil conditions and swollen rivers are expected to facilitate additional flooding.
Meteorologists said Thursday or Friday, a coastal storm may wreck havoc on the Northeast -- bringing snow, winds and heavy rain.
