Photo: Nashville Fire Department
At least 15 people have died, and dozens remain missing after heavy rains flooded parts of Tennessee on Saturday (August 21). The National Weather Service said that between 8 and 15 inches of rain fell across Humphreys, Houston, Dickson, and Hickman counties. Humphreys County saw the most rain, with 14.5 inches falling over a 12 hour period in the city of McEwen. Local officials said that some areas received up to 17 inches of rain during the storms.
Officials said that the deceased included twin toddlers who were swept away from their father by the fast-moving floodwaters. Officials are asking residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
"Please do not go out tonight if you do not have to. Flooding is especially dangerous at night," the National Weather Service said.
Cindy Dunn and her husband Jimmy took shelter in their attic after the flood washed away their car and swallowed up the rest of their home.
"My husband said one minute he was (watching TV news) and the next minute we had no garage," she told the Tennessean.
She told the paper that they lost everything in the floods.
"I have no credit cards. I have no bank cards. No IDs. I have nothing," she said.
Emergency crews managed to rescue the couple by driving a bulldozer through the flooded streets and raising a bucket up their attic window.
Rescue operations are continuing throughout the day on Sunday as officials try to get a handle on the devastation.