Chattanooga has been enjoying a beautiful, mild, green and energizing spring. But sadly, many of our Tennessee neighbors have been suffering varied ravages of nature.
In parts of Tennessee tornadoes have struck.
And excessive rain has swollen many Tennessee streams destructively out of their banks, especially around Nashville.
More than 13 inches of rain in a short period was more than the Cumberland River could hold. Compared with Chattanooga’s broad Tennessee River, the Cumberland may ordinarily seem like just a big creek. But heavy rainfall has caused flooding and expensive damage over extensive residential and business areas.
Damage running higher than $1 billion has driven a reported 140 Middle Tennessee families from their homes. Great loss has occurred amid the big Gaylord Opryland Resort’s facilities, famed for the Grand Ole Opry. The full scope of the destructive flooding cannot even be assessed until the deep water recedes.