Second confirmed death in Missouri flash floods

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A second person has been found dead after record rains swamped the St. Louis region earlier this week, police said.

A man’s body was found Wednesday about a mile from his abandoned semi-trailer truck, which appeared to have been submerged in floodwaters that hit the area, the Hazelwood Police Department said in a Facebook post.

Officers found no evidence of foul play on the man’s body, police said, and an autopsy was to be performed to determine his exact cause of death. His name has not been released.

Authorities on Tuesday had reported that a man in his 60s was found dead in St. Louis after his car was found covered in more than 8 feet (2.4 meters) of water. His name also has not been released.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis said the rain that began early Tuesday was the most prolific in the St. Louis metropolitan area since records began in 1874. More than 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain were recorded in parts of St. Charles County and up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) fell elsewhere in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

The area received about 25% of its normal yearly rainfall in about 12 hours, the weather service said, and the 7.68 inches (19.51 centimeters) that fell in just six hours surpassed the normal amount of rain for July and August combined.