Overnight rains caused Mackey Branch to overflow onto East Brainerd Road causes hazardous driving conditions for morning commuters on December 28, 2018. A woman camper's body was recovered Friday morning after she was swept away in a flash flood, authorities in Marion County, Tennessee, said.
Steve Lamb, Emergency Management Agency director for Marion County, said the 30-year-old woman was camping with two men near Cave Cove Road on Thursday. The site is about 15 miles from South Pittsburg and there's a popular cave there, Lamb said.
The three noticed rising water from the heavy rain and retreated to the cave for the night, then tried to get out early this morning. They were trying to cross the creek when the woman lost her footing and disappeared into the rushing water. The two men with her were safe.
Chad Ingles, chief of Hamilton County's STARS rescue team, said multiple agencies helped search for the victim, whose body was found about a mile downstream from where she went in. He said swift-water rescue crews and a support team on land helped retrieve the body.
Marion County Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnett said Friday morning the woman's identity would be released after her family is notified. He expected the body would be taken to a hospital for an autopsy.
The death was the only one reported after nearly 3 inches of rain inundated the tri-state area overnight Thursday and into Friday. Flash floods swept across low-lying roadways and into yards, and police and ambulance crews responded to dozens of wrecks throughout the area.
There's a slight chance of rain over the weekend, and authorities said the ground is saturated and creeks and streams will continue to rise from runoff for the next couple of days.
"The next 48 to 96 hours is going to be real dangerous out here - the worst may be coming tomorrow," Ingles said Friday, standing near the rushing stream where the camper was swept away.
He advised people to just stay out of the water, either in boats or motor vehicles.
"We're begging you, please, do not get in a swollen ditch, creek, or river. Don't drive through something. If it's barricaded, then turn around and go another way."
WRCB-Channel 3 chief meteorologist Paul Barys said 2.81 inches of rain were recorded at Lovell Field on Friday, but clouds were to clear overnight.
Barys said fog would develop late Friday and linger into this morning. The high will be 57 with increasing clouds, and the low will touch 43.
Sunday will be cloudy, with a 30 percent chance of rain and a high of 53, and Monday "will be very wet and warm," with a high of 69 and storms possible later in the day, Barys said.
Contact Judy Walton at jwalton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416.