A slow-moving tropical depression was slogging toward the U.S. Gulf coast Friday, packing walloping rains that could drench the region with up to 20 inches (50 centimeters). In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal said he was concerned about the serious threat of flash flooding in his state and he declared a state of emergency Thursday. The depression could become Tropical Storm Lee, the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Tropical storm warnings were issued from Mississippi to Texas including New Orleans. The National Hurricane Center said the system will dump large amounts of rain over southern areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through Sunday, according to a report of the Associated Press.
