Four killed as tropical storm hits Florida

Tornadoes and rain from Tropical Storm Allison have lashed north Florida, causing at least four deaths.

The storm has been blamed for at least 20 deaths in Texas and Louisiana.

Last week, five people drowned in the Florida Panhandle from choppy waters that were blamed on Allison.

In Tallahassee, Michael A Piccin, a 19-year-old Florida State University student, died on Tuesday after his car was swept into a drainage ditch along a flooded street. His body was found nearly two miles from his car.

On Monday, Alan Echevarria, 32, was killed when a tree crashed through the roof of his Jacksonville home.

Two men died north of Pensacola when their car skidded into a rain-swollen ditch. They were identified as Robert J Dulaney, 23, and Christopher Bell, 20.

Rescuers are continuing to search for a shrimp fisherman washed off his boat in Pensacola Bay. Han Cu, from Pensacola, may have been knocked overboard on Sunday night.

The torrential rains came as Allison moved east over the Atlantic Ocean.

Tallahassee Regional Airport measured 9.86 inches of rain in a 12-hour period on Tuesday.