Record torrential rainfall lashing Tennessee has flooded Nashville-area buildings and resulted in the deaths of at least four people, authorities said Sunday.
Details: Nashville Mayor John Cooper (D) told a briefing that 7 inches of rain had fallen in two days in Nashville — the second highest on record. Authorities told the briefing at least 130 people were rescued from the floods overnight.
We send our deepest sympathies to the loved ones of the four Nashvillians who died in last night’s flooding. Metro’s first responders have worked tirelessly following the city’s second-highest ever two-day rainfall, which flooded neighborhoods across the county. pic.twitter.com/sTjGWs9YIf
— Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) March 28, 2021
- Cooper tweeted that he's signed an executive order "declaring a local state of emergency due to flooding" in the city. He's seeking state and federal resources to assist in Davidson County, the worst-affected area.
By the numbers: 5.75 inches of rain fell in Nashville on Saturday, making it the city's wettest March day on record, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The big picture: The flooding comes after powerful winds, rains, thunderstorms and hail pummeled the Southeast last week and deadly tornadoes struck Alabama and Georgia.
What to watch: While the rainfall has eased, flooding remains a real threat.
- Per the NWS, the Cumberland River is forecast to peak at 49 feet by midnight Monday — 9 feet above the flood stage.
For the record: During the May 2010 floods that killed 36 people, the river crested at 51.86 feet, the Tennessean notes.
Posted by New Tribe Church on Sunday, March 28, 2021
