Death toll rises to 15 after severe floods in US Tennessee

WASHINGTON - The death toll has risen to 15 with about 30 people still missing in Humphreys County in the southern US state of Tennessee after severe floods hit the area on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday.

Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told CNN affiliate WSMV in an interview on Sunday that at least five of the missing are children. He told CNN on Saturday that two toddlers were among the dead.

The missing are largely from an area of the county that was most heavily impacted by the rising water levels, Davis said.

According to the National Weather Service in Nashville, more than 17 inches of rain was measured in McEwen on Saturday, possibly setting a new state record for 24-hour rainfall.