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  Date / Time: 3/29/2009 7:32 PM UTC

  Blizzard Buries Plains; Rains Hit South CNN
  

  March 28) -- Heavy rains swamped the Gulf Coast and a blizzard dumped more than 2 feet of snow in parts of the Plains on Saturday.

  The blizzard cut power, stranding drivers and prompted governors in Kansas and Oklahoma to issue disaster declarations.

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  At least two deaths were blamed on the storm.

  The death of a person in a traffic accident in Marion County, Kan., was blamed on icy roads Friday. One traffic death was reported in the snow near El Reno on Interstate 40 Friday, Oklahoma Emergency Management officials confirmed.

  Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed a state of disaster emergency order Saturday, saying, "It is important that we ensure Kansas counties have the resources they need. This storm system has hit parts of our state hard, left many residents without power, forced numerous roads closed and resulted in multiple accidents, including one fatality."

  The heaviest snow and ice accumulated in south central and southwest Kansas. The Kansas Adjutant General's office said 28 inches of snow fell on Pratt County, with snow drifts reported up to 6 feet. At least nine other counties reported 2 feet of snow.

  About 17,000 customers in Kansas lost electricity, more than half of those in Sedgwick County.

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  The Adjutant General's office said whiteout conditions and blowing snow made driving hazardous. The Kansas Department of Transportation shut down several roads in the western and south central part of the state. National Guard Humvees were used to move medical personal and patients to a hospital in Seward County.

  In Oklahoma, where more than a foot of snow fell, Gov. Brad Henry declared a state of emergency in 50 counties.

  The State Department of Transportation had several roads blocked in the state.

  In Missouri, the Kansas City International Airport was temporarily closed because of winter weather conditions, CNN affiliate KMBC reported.

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  Meanwhile, rain along the Gulf Coast battered areas around Mobile, Ala., and Biloxi, Miss.

  Mobile County Emergency Management Director Walter Dickerson said 4 to 6 inches of rain fell on already saturated ground.

  Fifteen to 20 roads around Mobile were closed, and several people had to be rescued after flash flooding trapped their cars.

  In Mobile, heavy rains caused a section of roadway to collapse. Three cars ended up in a large sinkhole, including one vehicle that landed on top of another. No serious injuries were reported.

  Dickerson said a temporary shelter may be opened for residents displaced by the high waters.

  In nearby Baldwin County, Ala., an apartment complex was evacuated and some main roads were closed.

  The main roadway leading into Biloxi, the Interstate 10 loop, was closed for several hours early Saturday before waters receded and allowed traffic to resume. But more than a dozen other roads around Harrison County remain blocked.

  Harrison County, Miss., Emergency Management Director Rupert Lacy said water entered some homes in his area.

  Teams were out assessing the damage. Lacy said waters of three rivers were rising, including the Biloxi and Wolf rivers. There were no mandatory evacuations, but Lacy said some residents chose to leave on their own.

  Roads were also impassable in some parts of the Florida Panhandle. Officials in the Atlanta metro area, which is under flood watches and warnings, were keeping an eye on surging rivers and creeks.
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