Campers, Some in Kayaks, Flee Flash Flooding

Flash floods forced hundreds of Fourth of July campers out of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, and some had to be ferried across swollen streams by kayak after more than a week of heavy rain across the South.

Hundreds more were still out of their homes elsewhere because of flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Allison.

The death toll since Allison sloshed ashore in Texas a week ago rose to 13--one in North Carolina, five in Mississippi, four in Texas and three in Louisiana.

At least 700 Louisiana homes have been flooded, and about 500 people remained flooded out of their homes in Liberty County, Tex., authorities said.

Campers were evacuated from three steeply mountainous counties of western North Carolina. One woman drowned when her tent was washed away, but her husband was rescued. Divers searched for her body and those of possible other victims.

Several agencies and volunteers used kayaks to take campers across rapidly rising streams.

The remnants of Allison had brought more than 1.5 inches of rain to the mountains since Monday, causing some mudslides. The National Weather Service said up to 4 inches of rain were likely in some areas.