Flood — Putnam, Tennessee

2010-08-18 to 2010-08-19 · near Buffalo Vly, Putnam, Tennessee

Event narrative

Pippen Road was under 3 to 4 inches of water. Rickman Road near Spring Creek Road area was reported to be flooded. Swiftly moving water was crossing McBroom Chapel Road. Near this same area, a house was flooded and three vehicles were submerged. Portion of Dodson Branch Highway and Willow Avenue were under 7 to 8 inches of water. Multiple structures across the county received flood damage, including several

home furnished basements, garages, and barns.

Newspapers reported that at least 42 roads, along with a few bridges, were closed across the county, and both Cookeville and Upperman High Schools were damaged. Extent of any damage to county roads, bridges, and both high schools was unknown. Widespread flood damage occurred in the city of Baxter, including flooded parts of Baxter Elementary School which also had the buildings electrical and telephone system damaged due to flooding. Extent of damage in Baxter was unkown.

Newspapers also reported that numerous business in the Cookeville area were also closed due to the flooding, including the shopping center at 541 South Willow Avenue where 4 to 6 inches of water that got into most of the business caused them to be closed up for a week and a half. The complete extent of damage to the business were unknown, but it was reported that several of the business had to replace drywall and flooring that was damaged. A freight train carrying sand derailed near the Frisk Road Railroad Crossing when the tracks were washed away. Several homes also received water damage, including one home in Cookeville that washed off its foundation. Several water rescues also occurred, along with a few livestock, horses, and pet rescues.

Newspapers also reported that more than 25 homes and business across the county sustained uninsured losses of 40 percent or more of their estimated predisaster fair market value, per reports also from the state's small business administration and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.

Newspapers also reported that in Bloomington Springs, a number of cars at the ABC Auto Specialists were stacked up upon each other. Also, one whole building of the business was lost. The wife of the owner of the business said that water was over her and her husband's head. Huge trees were reported down in this area also. Cars that they owned were in a nearby creek, of which one was a 1963 Nova SS, which was totally demolished.

All of this damage was the result of up to a foot of rainfall in some locations across the county.

Wider weather episode

The remnants of a tropical depression interacted with a stationary front in Middle Tennessee, resulting in excessive rainfall across several counties east of Interstate 65 corridor. Area averaged between six and seven inches of rain, with some areas receiving as much as a foot of rainfall. Most of the severe damage across this area included impacted bridges, roads, and multiple types of structures.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.1300, -85.7800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 256988. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.