An inch of rain threatens to bring more big problems to the heartland

An inch of rain doesn’t sound like a lot. But in parts of the flooded Midwest, it’s enough to make a bad situation worse. In Illinois on Tuesday, residents braced for the extra inch, which will delay any reduction in floodwaters that have ravaged dozens of counties, forcing thousands of residents from their homes. As rivers across the heartland swelled during the past two weeks, rising water was blamed for four deaths. Flooding threatens rivers in Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Indiana, North Dakota, Mississippi and Michigan, according to the National Weather Service.