I-40 closed, homes threatened by floods in the US South

Homes, highways, parks and bridges throughout the South have been flooded or rendered out of commission, as the toll of days of drenching rains swelled waterways and pooled over saturated lands amid the threat of severe storms.

Transportation officials say Interstate 40 near the border of Tennessee and North Carolina has been closed due to a rockslide, one of the dozens of roads and highways shut down throughout the South region Saturday.

Tennessee Department of Transportation spokesman Mark Nagi said on Twitter that traffic was being diverted to Interstate 81 and Interstate 26.

In Bruce, Mississippi, rivers broke flood stage and flash floods poured into homes and businesses.

Weather officials warned residents of the possibility of severe storms on Saturday in western Tennessee, northern Mississippi and eastern Arkansas.