Communities across US recover after floods

Vehicles attempt to maneuver down a flooded Montauk Highway in Babylon, N.Y., Wednesday Aug. 13, 2014. The National Weather Service says parts of Long Island experienced record-setting rainfall in the past 24 hours. In one community, more than 13 inches of rain was reported. (AP Photo/Frank Eltman) Vehicles attempt to maneuver down a flooded Montauk Highway in Babylon, N.Y., Wednesday Aug. 13, 2014. The National Weather Service says parts of Long Island experienced record-setting rainfall in the past 24 hours. In one community, more than 13 inches of rain was reported. (AP Photo/Frank Eltman)

By Associated Press August 14, 2014 3 min read

NORTH BABYLON, N.Y. (AP) – Communities across the U.S. are drying out after unusually heavy rains swamped highways, flooded basements and were blamed for at least four deaths.

Long Island residents were urged to remain off the road Wednesday as a round-the-clock recovery continued after a record 13.26 inches of rain fell between midnight and 9:30 a.m.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder issued a disaster declaration for the Detroit area after rain sent mud cascading down embankments, closing stretches of freeways all of Tuesday and part of Wednesday.

Officials at a Nebraska hospital said Wednesday its public cafeteria could stay shuttered for months after it was inundated by floodwater over the weekend.

The latest iteration of wild weather hit the northeast Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.