At least eight people died in flash floods in Tennessee; Dozens are missing

 

At least eight people died in flash floods in Tennessee; Dozens are missing

Catastrophic flooding in central Tennessee left at least eight people dead and dozens missing on Saturday as record torrential rain washed away homes and country roads, authorities said.

More than 30 people have been missing, Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told news outlets.

Davis told WSMV-TV that two of the bodies found were those of two children who had been swept away by their father.

McEwen in Humphreys County, located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Nashville, hit 17 inches (43 cm) of rain, salvaging water, closing roads, and disrupting communications; this total rainfall broke the 24-hour area record of 9.45 inches (24 cm) from 2010.

 The National Weather Service told The Tennessean that McEwen and the nearby town of Waverley are facing a "tragic and catastrophic situation." People are stayed in their homes and have no way out."

Waverly Cindy Dunn, 48, and Jamie, 49, were rescued from the attic by a crew that used a bulldozer to reach them.

My husband suffers from cancer. He is undergoing chemotherapy. I am an amputee. So there wasn't anything other than the attic," Dunn said.

Dunn said their home and neighboring homes had "disappeared."

Several people are missing, and mobile phone service has been disrupted across the county, Hickman County Vice President Rob Edwards said in a text message to the newspaper.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee tweeted Saturday, "Please be aware of rising floodwaters due to heavy rain in parts of Central Tennessee. We are actively working with emergency response officials and first responders as they support the state of Tennessee in flooded areas."

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency activated its Emergency Operations Center, and said agencies, including the Tennessee National Guard, State Highway Patrols, and Mutual Firefighting Assistance, responded to the floods. Tema described the situation as "serious and evolving" in a bulletin and urged people to avoid travel in the affected provinces.

Flash flood warnings were in effect for Lewis, Marshall, and Morey counties on Saturday night.