6 dead in widespread flooding across South as area braces for tornadoes

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Volunteers return to a flooded house in Clarksdale, Mississippi (Associated Press)

Heavy downpours in the South have caused severe flooding, submerging roads and cars, washing out bridges and forcing residents to flee homes.

Six people have been confirmed dead this week as a result of the storms, The Weather Channel reported. At least three people died in Louisiana, the Associated Press reported. Two fishermen were reported missing in Mississippi.

Forecasters predicted another round of showers and thunderstorms Sunday afternoon and evening, some of which could be severe, in parts of the Mississippi Valley where flooding has already caused considerable damage, The Weather Channel reported.

The threat includes large hail and possibly a few tornadoes.

The storm system is projected to move through quickly, according to The Weather Channel.

As of Saturday evening, Mississippi officials reported damage to 95 homes, minor damage to 277 others, with reports still coming in from 41 of the state’s 82 counties.

The flooding was the worst since 2012, when Hurricane Isaac dumped more than 24 inches of rain throughout the state, Lee Smithson, head of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, said.

However, he said, "It has not been quite as rough a day as we thought it was going to be today. ... It looks as if the significant rainstorms for the Mississippi Gulf Coast have not materialized."

Rescue teams from Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and local firefighters rescued more than 700 and nearly 100 pets from homes, cars and campgrounds, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Sunday.