A natural disaster, in the form of a 500 year flood, occurred last weekend in Nashville/Davidson County and the surrounding counties of Benton, Carroll, Cheatham, Crockett, Decatur, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Haywood, Henderson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Madison, Maury, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion, Perry, Rutherford, Shelby, Sumner, Tipton and Williamson Tennessee. Perhaps the costliest non-hurricane disaster in the US, national news coverage has given little attention to this event. At this time, it is known that 29 people have died, and thousands of homes and businesses are underwater. Nashville’s tourism industry has been severely crippled as Grand Ole Opry Hotel is 10 feet underwater along with nearby Opry Mills Mall. The touristy honky-tonks and restaurants on Broadway, the Schermerhorm Symphony Center, the Tennessee Titans’ field, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum are all flood damaged. This article sums the spirit of cooperation and charity demonstrated by the Tennessee citizens. Tennessee is nicknamed the “Volunteer State”, and it truly is, in word and in deed.
Creeks and rivers quickly rose, to overflow into nearby homes and businesses.
After a dry April, we all looked forward to the weekend rainstorm. No one expected the storm to stall out over Middle Tennessee, and it’s citizens had no advance warning. On Saturday, we awoke to dark clouds, which released heavy torrents of rain. Waterways swiftly rose and poured over their banks. In areas where there was not a waterway, the soil became saturated with water; resulting in runoff settling in low lying areas forming new rivers. Rain continued overnight with the threat of tornadoes and into Sunday. All Church services were cancelled. Citizens were ordered to stay at home unless evacuated.
Given little or no advanced notice, citizens hurriedly grabbed what they could and evacuated.
Neighbors helped each other to safety
Neighbors helped the elderly to safety.
Neighbors helped the sick and the handicapped.
Churches and Synagogues quickly opened Red Cross emergency shelters.
Animals were also rescued and taken to shelters.
Rivers formed on Interstates and other vital roadways. Portions of I-65, I-40, I-24, and I-440 were closed.
Volunteers used boats to help rescue those trapped in their homes or in cars.
Nearby in Williamson county, our family was able to safely witness from our home the power of Mother Nature as the Harpeth River filled the lower end of our yard. In this photo we guesstimate the Harpeth is 20 feet high at the deepest part.
Flood waters from the Cumberland overflowed into downtown Nashville.
The Cumberland River flooded The Grand Ole Opry Hotel.
500 Opryland Hotel guests were evacuated to shelters.
Citizens of Nashville and the surrounding counties obeyed orders to stay ( if safe) at home.
Very little looting has occured.
Finally Monday morning dawned with clear skies and better spirits...
... as the hard long job of recovery begins.