Severe Flooding Leads to State of Emergency in Tennessee

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Officials have declared a state of emergency in Tennessee after heavy rains caused flooding in several areas overnight and more rain is forecast.

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesman Dean Flener said on Thursday that crews were performing swift-water rescues in Stewart County. He said several other counties have reported high water over roads and trees down from storms.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for areas of Middle Tennessee through Thursday afternoon. The weather service said as much as 6 inches of rain fell overnight, which led to widespread flooding in Nashville and surrounding areas.

Flener said travel could be precarious and warned that motorists should not try to cross water over roadways.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) issued a notice to residents and businesses reminding them to be wary of price-gouging schemes that can occur during times of emergency.

“Tennessee’s price gouging laws make it unlawful for individuals and businesses to charge unreasonable prices for essential goods and services including gasoline, food, ice, fuel, generators, lodging, storage space, and other necessities in direct response to a disaster regardless of whether that emergency occurred in Tennessee or elsewhere. The price gouging law makes it unlawful to charge a price that is grossly in excess of the price charged prior to the emergency,” TDCI said in a statement.

In Kentucky, heavy rains and harsh winds blew through the area Wednesday, knocking down power lines and damaging buildings in the far western part of the state, including Paducah. In nearby Metropolis, Illinois, the weather service said a small tornado hit and winds gusted up to 105 mph. No life-threatening injuries were reported.