Days of heavy rain have turned the weather deadly from Alabama through Georgia into eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. Eight people have died in the rising tides, including one child. The hardest hit state may be Georgia, where Governor Sony Perdue has delared emergencies in 17 counties. ABC News’ T.J. Winick is in Austell, Georgia with more on the wicked weather.

Hundreds of schools have been shut down as heavy storms move through Georgia. Classes will not be held Tuesday for students at Atlanta, Cobb, Carroll, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Marietta, Rockdale and Paulding schools.

Georgia’s deluge hasn’t been all bad news. Lake Lanier, Atlanta’s main water supply, has surged more than three feet in the last three days as heavy rainfall blanketed the region.

Heavy rains have flooded some roads in the northwestern corner of South Carolina, prompting the evacuation of a few homes and a delay of school buses.

South Carolinians know first-hand about the powers of nature. It was 20 years ago this month that Hurricane Hugo slammed into the state. And Hugo is one of the hurricanes featured in “Powers of Nature”, a special exhibit at the State Museum in Columbia that looks at the causes and effects of natural disasters. It has sections on hurricanes, tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, earthquakes, blizzards and volcanoes. WJBF News Channel 6’s SC Capitol reporter, Robert Kittle, has more.

Several thousand people in the Savannah area are without electricity the morning after powerful thunderstorms toppled trees and power lines on the Georgia coast.

Thunderstorms are threatening to delay NASA’s planned launch Saturday of space shuttle Endeavour.

Some strong storms rolled through the CSRA on Sunday night. As Monday begins, assessment of any damage from the storms can begin. If you have any images of storm damage, send them to WJBF News Channel 6.

Storms are rolling through the CSRA, at this time. Please use caution, if you have to be out on the roads. Stay tuned to WJBF News Channel 6 for the latest weather updates and advisories from George Myers, who’s tracking the storms. We will add storm reports as they come in.

Federal forecasters say hurricanes will strike the United States this season and Americans must be prepared. They predicted nine to 14 named tropical storms this year.

Gov. Sonny Perdue says eight additional Georgia counties have been granted federal disaster status, making them eligible for aid to help them repair damage from storms that began in late March.

WJBF News Channel 6’s Weather Team has the weather updates that affect the Georgia and South Carolina counties of the CSRA. George Myers tells us what to expect from storms heading to the CSRA on Wednesday night.

A storm front with severe weather is settling on the South, bringing heavy rains and a possible tornado in Alabama.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued some severe weather advisories for some CSRA counties.

WJBF News Channel 6’s Matt Monroe has the weather updates that affect the Georgia and South Carolina counties of the CSRA. Included in this update…Matt tells us what to expect with the storms and rain headed to the CSRA.