News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Up to 250 local law enforcement officers worked throughout Tuesday searching the area affected by the early morning storms.
According to Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris, all standing structures have been cleared and over half of the destroyed structures searched.
“Currently we have been able to go door-to-door on all standing structures including houses that are not demolished,” Farris said. “We have completed that task today. That is well over a hundred different structures, maybe closer to 150. We are about sixty percent completion on our hard searches.”
Farris said efforts will continue throughout the night.
“We will be concentrating on the West Haven subdivision, the North McBroom Chapel area and Hensley Road,” Farris said. “Those are subdivision areas with houses that have been demolished. We still feel like there is a possibility of basement areas that we have not made it to.”
Farris went on to say that an area of great concern is a twenty acre field between Echo Valley Estates and North McBroom Chapel Road area.
“That area is a grown up field area that is marshy, that is six or seven foot tall, and that’s a very slow process,” Farris said.
According to Farris, the hope is that all the demolished structures will be searched and cleared by the end of tomorrow, with the surrounding fields and wooded areas.
Also, Farris announced a curfew has been put in place from 8 P.M. Tuesday until 8 A.M. Wednesday morning, noting that one arrest has been made for looting.
In addition to local and regional agencies, the Tennessee National Guard has sent troops, with thirty arriving late Tuesday afternoon and thirty more expected on Wednesday.
“They were up with the governor this afternoon and saw the devastation we are going through,” Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said.
-Brian Wilmoth
