News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A thunderstorm cell that moved slowly over Cookeville and Algood Thursday night dropped more than five inches of rain on many areas, causing major flash flooding.
At 8:45pm, the National Weather Service extended the Flash Flood Warning until 10pm to allow runoff to continue.
“The water flooding into the creeks, running into the creeks, and then the creek banks, they start rising out of the banks,” Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said. “And if you’re going down roads that are close to a creek, you’re going to have that water. Now that it starts running downhill and moving down through the creeks and the streams, they’re going to probably come out of their banks. So you just have to watch and be very careful if you’re driving. And there’s going to be a lot of pooling of water in the roads too, for quite awhile until it has time to totally drain out. So we advise everyone, if you don’t have to drive, stay at home.”
Multiple streets flooded in the city of Cookeville, even beyond the normal areas prone to flooding. Putnam County Emergency Management reported at least one swift water rescue, as of 8:30pm. Among the areas impacted, according to officials, Spring Street, South Willow Avenue, Interstate Drive, Neal Street, Fairbanks Avenue, Plantation Drive, and Veterans Drive.
Algood may have been hit worst with spotters reporting 5.5 to 5.8 inches of rain in many areas. Areas impacted included Williams Square, near the nursing home, East Main Street near White Plains Academy, RC Buck Drive, Quinland Lake Road, Mirandy Road, and Lane Avenue.
“We’ve probably got five or six roads impassable due to flooding,” Algood Administrator Keith Morrison said. “I’ve got fire and police out helping me. We’re out right now going to another scene. Homes almost have water up to the door. So right now we’re just trying to assess everything, make sure everybody’s safe.”
Putnam County 911 Assistant Director Brandon Smith said they are concerned that rising creeks and streams could cause more flooding dangers as the night continues.
“If you’re in a flood prone area, we really want folks to be extra careful,” Smith said. “If you start seeing water coming into the house or if it’s blocking your ability to get out of the house, please call 911 immediately. We may have multiple rescues that we need to perform, and we need to know those as quickly as possible before it gets too bad.”
Smith said cars are no match for water runoff. With the intensity of rain Thursday night, the concern becomes damage to the road surface.
“If there’s water over the roadway and you can’t see the road underneath it, please don’t cross that,” Smith said. “Our nationwide phrase is turn around, don’t drown. And even though it doesn’t look that bad, it can be so much worse than it appears. And if you can’t see that that roadway is underneath there, there’s no guarantee there’s asphalt that you’re fixing to drive over.”
The rain began around 5:15pm, but really increased in intensity around 6pm. Radar estimates were as much as four inches of rain fell in a one-hour period. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the area and later upgraded the warning for considerable flooding.
