Heavy storms and flooding killed at least 29 people in Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky, damaged thousands of homes and threatened the heart of Nashville’s tourism district.
Tennessee was the hardest hit, as muddy waters continued rising in the central and western parts of the state after as much as 18 inches of rain fell over the weekend. By Monday night, the rapidly rising waters were blamed in the deaths of 18 people in Tennessee alone, including 10 in Nashville, the Associated Press reported.
Throughout the region, roads were blocked, businesses closed and classes canceled. Emergency workers in Nashville and surrounding Davidson County had made more than 1,000 water rescues as of late Monday. One of Nashville’s two water-treatment plants flooded, prompting city officials to ask residents to use water only for drinking, cooking and hand-washing.
