8 DEAD, DOZENS MISSING IN TENNESSEE FLOODING

Catastrophic flooding in middle Tennessee left at least eight dead and dozens missing Saturday as record-shattering rainfall washed away homes and rural roads, authorities said.

Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis told news outlets more than 30 people have been reported missing.

Two of the bodies recovered were toddlers who had been swept away from their father, Davis told WSMV-TV.

The Humphreys County town of Mcewen, located about 50 miles west of Nashville, was pummeled with 17 inches of rain in less than a day, prompting water rescues, road closures and communications disruptions. That rainfall total smashed the region’s 24hour record of 9.45 inches from 2010, according to the National Weather Service Nashville.

Mcewen and the nearby city of Waverly were facing a “dire, catastrophic situation,” National Weather Service meteorologist Krissy Hurley told The Tennessean. “People are trapped in their homes and have no way to get out.”

Waverly couple Cindy Dunn, 48, and her husband Jimmy, 49, were rescued from their attic by a crew who used a bulldozer to reach them.

She told The Tennessean that her husband woke her up Saturday, telling her that floodwaters had pushed her car to their backyard. Eventually the water in their house rose to at least 6 feet high, forcing them to the attic.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee tweeted on Saturday, “Tennesseans, please stay cautious of rising floodwaters caused by heavy rainfall in parts of Middle TN. We are actively working with emergency response officials & first responders as they support Tennesseans in flooded areas.”