(TargetLiberty.org) – Deadly floods tore through central Tennessee on Saturday, leaving 18 people dead and others still missing. Now the state has declared a major disaster, as desperate rescuers search for survivors.
On August 21, areas of Tennessee suffered from their highest ever rainfall, with up to 17 inches falling in less than 24 hours. The heavy rain transformed creeks and drainage channels into raging torrents that broke their banks and caused havoc in rural Humphreys County. The town of Waverly, population 4,105, was devastated by the rising water, with some houses swept off their foundations and most others seriously damaged. Witnesses report watching children and pets being swept down Trace Creek towards the Tennessee River.
Footage shows severe flooding and destruction, as parts of Middle Tennessee were hit with a “catastrophic flooding situation.” https://t.co/lsrxgpv1oL pic.twitter.com/AmuWcYCJwo
— ABC News (@ABC) August 22, 2021
By Sunday, the floods had subsided, leaving 18 people dead. As of Tuesday, about three people are still missing, according to ABC News. Meanwhile, Governor Bill Lee (R) has declared a major emergency. Early Tuesday morning, President Biden approved the declaration, unlocking federal aid to help with the recovery operation.
Weather forecasters had predicted flash floods in the area on Saturday, but the scale of the rainfall took everyone by surprise. The state’s previous record rainfall was 13.6 inches, in 1982. Saturday’s storms were expected to drop only four to six inches of rain. Sadly, the weather had other ideas.
Copyright 2021, TargetLiberty.org
