CASHIERS, N.C. - The violent remains of Hurricane Ivan pounded a large swath of the eastern United States on Friday, drenching an area from Georgia to Ohio, washing out dozens of homes, sweeping cars down roadways and trapping more than 100 students at an elementary school.
The storm retained its destructive power over land even as its wind speed dropped.
More than 8 inches of rain in some areas triggered deadly floods, hundreds of thousands of people were without power, and tornadoes were reported as far north as Maryland. Even after the storm was no longer a hurricane, it was responsible for the deaths of eight in North Carolina, four in Georgia and one in Tennessee.
In the southwestern corner of North Carolina, four were killed and as many as 30 homes destroyed in Cullasaja, a tiny mountain valley town in the Nantahala National Forest. It was not immediately clear how they died.
"These mountains are very unforgiving when it comes to floods," said Ronnie Setzer, the owner of a convenience store less than a mile from the neighborhood that was inundated. "Some of the old-timers told me this is the worst flooding they've seen in 40 years."
In Georgia, where up to 9 inches of rain fell, Jon and Dianne Birts fled their home along the Coosawattee River with their cat and drove to higher ground, but abandoned their truck because of floodwaters.
"When we stepped out, we realized the truck must have been floating because the water was over our heads, so we started swimming as hard as we could," said Jon Birts, a retired banker.
Guided by the headlamps of their sinking pickup, the couple grabbed hold of a floating propane tank until a passing driver helped them to safety. Dianne Birts had to let go of the cat's cage to survive.
"All of these material things I'm thinking about floating down the river don't mean a hill of beans," she said. "I do miss my kitty, though."
In the eastern Tennessee town of Spring City, rushing water from a creek cascaded through the business district, breaking out storefront windows and carrying away merchandise.
Heavy rain stranded about 150 students and employees at a southeastern Ohio elementary school. Officials said the building was on high ground and out of danger.
About 100 schoolchildren in West Virginia's northern panhandle also spent the night at their schools because of flooding. More than 3,000 in that state were evacuated as mudslides and high water blocked roads and toppled trees. Some people were rescued by crews in helicopters and boats.
In Pennsylvania, as much as 6 inches of rain fell in parts of Pittsburgh.
As much as 9 inches of rain fell in western North Carolina. The Department of Transportation said nearly 200 roads were impassable in western counties.
In Sapphire, N.C., Jim Lorenz lost power at his country store but moved his gas grill onto the front porch and gave away coffee and hot dogs.
Flights were suspended for about an hour at the Charlotte airport, where the storm tore insulation and other debris from terminal buildings and filled one of the terminals with dust.
The heart of the loosely defined storm was about 100 miles southwest of Roanoke, Va., with 20 mph wind. It continued moving east-northeast at about 20 mph and was expected to continue following that path.
In South Carolina, there were several reports of tornadoes in Oconee County.
Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner declared a state of emergency as heavy rain lashed his state's mountainous southwestern tip. Nine tornado touchdowns were confirmed.
In Maryland, a tornado tore the roofs off two houses in Frederick County.
