'Catastrophic': Flooding in Tennessee County Leaves 21 Dead, Dozens Missing (2024)

Severe flooding in Tennessee's Humphreys County has left at least 21 people dead and over 50 people missing after parts of the region received more than a foot of rain Saturday, said authorities, WKRN reported Sunday. Efforts to find the missing are continuing.

Waverly Mayor Buddy Frazier said people were caught off guard by the rain. "It was something like the quickness of a tornado I guess. Someone described it as a tidal wave."

McEwen, located in Humphreys County—about an hour west of Nashville—received the most rain at 17.02 inches, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) Nashville. The rainfall "likely" shattered the previous 24-hour rainfall record in the state, which was recorded as 13.6 inches in Milan in September 1982.

Video posted to Twitter captures the devastating floods.

Some residents were trapped in their homes, The Tennessean reported. The floods pushed homes off of their foundation, left vehicles submerged, and washed away storefronts, bridges and roads. Hundreds of homes may be uninhabitable.

Power outages were reported along with a lack of cell phone service, according to WKRN. Additionally, Waverly lost one of its water treatment plants.

The Piney River indicated a record crest of 31.8 feet, significantly higher than the previous record of 20.08 feet in February 2019, according to the NWS Nashville.

"The dangerous flooding situation across western Middle Tennessee continues, even as rain dissipates this morning," the weather service said in a tweet Saturday afternoon.

NWS forecaster Krissy Hurley told TheTennessean the situation was "dire" and "catastrophic."

"People are trapped in their homes and have no way to get out," she said. "Water is up to their necks. It is catastrophic—the worst kind of situation."

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty arrived in Humphreys County Sunday afternoon and toured a local elementary school, which had been flooded with four feet of water, according to The Tennessean.

On Twitter, Hagerty called the damage "absolutely devastating."

Rescue efforts were underway by Saturday. The Tennessee National Guard and the Tennessee Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team were deployed, and the Nashville Fire Department also sent four water rescue teams.

The American Red Cross said in a tweet they are supplying water, food, and emergency supplies to affected residents and conducting damage assessment.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said in a statement Sunday morning that a reunification center has been opened for flood survivors at McEwan High School until 5 p.m. Sunday. Multiple bridges and roads will remain closed due to flooding and debris.

As of Sunday morning, about 3,500 customers were left without power in Humphreys County with another 400 and 600 without power in Hickman and Houston counties, Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative (MLEC) said in a statement.

Outages are expected to last late into the week for some areas, according to MLEC.

Lee said Saturday his office is working with emergency response officials and first responders.

"Tennesseans, please stay cautious of rising floodwaters caused by heavy rainfall in parts of Middle TN," he wrote in a tweet. "We are actively working with emergency response officials and first responders as they support Tennesseans in flooded areas."

The weather service issued flash flood warnings for Humphreys and other counties including Houston, Dickson and Hickman counties. By late Saturday night, the rain had effectively ended, and all flash flood watches and warnings expired, according to the weather service.

On Sunday, a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms remained during the afternoon, with the weather expected to clear up throughout the week.

"While we marvel at the power of nature, we deeply regret when it brings about tragic circ*mstances," NWS Nashville said in a tweet Sunday morning. "Those of us who have never lived through a flood of this magnitude cannot possibly know what it's like."

Updated 4:35 PM ET, with the latest death toll and number of missing persons.