Tropical storm Allison death toll reaches 43

A week after causing £1.4bn in damage in Houston, the remnants of Tropical Storm Allison flooded homes in southeastern Pennsylvania, blacked out thousands of electrical customers and chased firefighters up trees.

Four deaths were linked to the storm in Pennsylvania, authorities said yesterday, pushing the total blamed on Allison since it made landfall in Texas to at least 43.

‘‘I never seen anything like this in my entire life. You only see this on the news,’’ Madeline Smith said as she picked her way through twisted metal and other debris left in her yard when Pennypack Creek rose out of its banks.

She and boyfriend Ken Edwards were rescued from chest-deep water rushing past their home on Saturday by holding onto a rope pulled by firefighters.