Hundreds rescued from floodwaters in US as nearly 2 feet (0.6 meters) of rain fell on the Florida Panhandle and Alabama coast in the span of
about 24 hours.It was the latest bout of severe weather that began with tornadoes in the Midwest of the country.

In the Panhandle cars were overturned and neighbourhoods were inundated, making rescue operations difficult. Reports say it was the single rainiest day ever recorded in Pensacola.

At the height of the storm, about 30,000 people were without power. One Florida woman died when she drove her car into high water, officials said.

There were at least 30 rescues in Alabama. Florida appeared to be the hardest hit. The National Weather Service said forecasters issued flash flood warnings as early as tomorrow, yet many people were caught unaware.

The widespread flooding was the latest wallop from a violent storm system that began in Arkansas and Oklahoma and worked its way South, killing 37 people along the way.