ST. LOUIS -- Authorities in Arkansas said at least two people are dead because of flooding in the state.

Officials said the two drowned Friday when their pickup truck left a water-covered highway and became submerged.

High reservoir levels in the region have forced the Army Corps of Engineers to open spillways.

Engineers opened spillways at Bull Shoals Lake Saturday, allowing excess water to rush down the White River to communities that have already been flooded by weeks of rain.

More than three-fourths of the state's counties have been declared disaster areas by Gov. Mike Beebe since tornadoes struck in February.

Meanwhile, a levee along the Black River in Missouri has failed for the second time in recent weeks. About 50 homes east of Poplar Bluff, Mo., have been evacuated, but no injuries are reported.

The section of the temporary levee that failed was along the Black River and was built to repair a break in March. That breach flooded about 1,000 people out of their homes, authorities said.

NWS Confirms Strength Of Tenn. Tornadoes

The National Weather Service confirmed on Saturday the strength of Friday's tornadoes that ripped through middle Tennessee, reported WSMV-TV in Nashville.

NWS officials said an EF3 tornado touched down in the Liberty Hill area of Giles County.

The tornado stayed on the ground there for about five miles, damaged dozens of homes and destroyed at least one.

An EF3 tornado also touched down in Lawrence County, where 30 to 40 homes were damaged and a minor injury was reported, NWS officials said.

Wind speeds were between 136 mph and 165 mph. The tornado in Lawrence County stayed on the ground for about 10 miles.

No one was killed as a result of the tornadoes.

Damage along one road in Lawrence County was extensive.

Tina Perry said she was able to hide under a desk as the storm blew through.

"The lights went out, and it was over in seconds. It was just, 'Bam.' It was here, and it was gone," she said.

Perry said she lost trees and a carport and said her home is unlivable for now.

The roof was completely blown off the home of Dale and Skip Evans, but no one was hurt.

"Thank God everybody’s safe. Thank God," Skip Evans said.

Evans said his family had moved to Tennessee to get away from hurricanes.

"In fact, we had a tornado in Key Largo. It took out roof off one time," he said.