The National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., has issued a flash flood warning for several Southeast Missouri counties until 8 p.m.

The text of the warning follows:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...

BOLLINGER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

BUTLER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

CARTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

PERRY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

RIPLEY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

WAYNE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

* UNTIL 800 PM CDT.

* AT 157 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED

FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA. RADAR

INDICATED THAT 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SINCE MID MORNING.

THE MAIN CONCERN IS THAT RAINFALL RATES HAVE BEEN RANGING FROM 1 TO

4 INCHES PER HOUR.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNED AREA INCLUDE...

JACKSON...MARBLE HILL...PERRYVILLE...PATTERSON...AND DONIPHAN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL

CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY

ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND OTHER LOW

LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO

AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY

DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL

ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED

ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.