Nashville Flood of 2010 - Update 1, on May 4th, 2010

Nashville Flood of 2010 - Update 1 on May 4, 2010


On Day 4 of the Nashville Flood of 2010, May 4th, beautiful blue sky throughtout this 4th day of the flood-damaged Nashville and surrounding area, 87 degrees expected tomorrow in flood worn and flood-ravaged Nashville, some showers expected Friday and Saturday, hopefully, not to amount to much.

Today on the CBS Evening News; 5:30 pm, on May 4th. 2010:

In a report from Nashville it was said that Nashville (and surrounding area) just beginning to assess the damage, 29 people are dead in 3 states, 10 in Nashville ,today was sunny and the flood waters have begun to recede.

And Nashville, home of the Grand Ole Opry, today is a 'grand ole mess'.

Tennessee Titans stadium flooded

Across Tennessee, many are shaken.

Hundreds marooned.

Many pets rescued today that had to be left behind when the water rose fast and owners were not able to take them out.

There is a concern more bodies may show up in the coming days.

The Grand Ole Opry, performance shifted to another location, more than half of the 95 counties counties declared disaster area by the Governor.

Channel 2 TV News at 5:30 pm May 4, 2010:

Corps of Engineers spokesperson said 'torrential rains brought the Old Hickory Dam to its highest level ever, Old Hickory, only inches from overspill, we managed system, 6 inches away.

When questioned, 'Had you not released? The Corps of Engineers spokesman said " Water would have been into the powerhouse' and 'we would lose contro'l, and 'not the stability of the dam itself, but the dam itself could not function', and 'more water would be in Nashville', and 'we just ran out of storage room'.

Channel 4, TV News at 6 pm, May 4, 2010:

Obama has declared TN a disaster area,for 4 counties in Tennessee: Cheatham, Davidson, Hickman, Williamson. Federal funding will be expedited.

(FEMA actually handed out debit cards to those affected in Katrina.)

Governor of Tennessee, Phil Bredesen said Federal government moved quickly to assist Tennessee; Govenor expects to hear about other 48 counties that he has applied for also.

Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker to speak at Belmont at the news conference later.

A highway landed on a house in Cheatham; 4 hones at Hwy 249 are gone, Kingston Springs, highway crashed, it was a little creek, then it was the Harpeth River, throwing the hghway onto their homes and it left them in shock; Cheatham County schools closed, some roads still closed, must conserve water.

Then it was said it is a dire situation in Nashville, water conservation, 15% of reserves used, only the one remaining water plant and it is at capacity.

2 disaster info centers, one is Bellevue Community Center and Coleman Community Center.

Metro Nashville school leaders are asking the State to make exception for days lost in school.

In some schools, textbooks are ruined, so is carpet, most are ready to reopen, road conditions hamper re-opening of schools.

One teacher in CheathamCcounty is quoted as saying' I can barely talk. it is devastating.

Channel 5 TV News, 6 pm, May 4, 2010:

Anxious evacuees get to return home, lost everything, one 81 year old, said the flood did things she had never seen before, lifted her home off its foundation. she has saved what she can, found her bible, Eva Lee considers herself lucky, her home still standing in cheatham county while many others were lost.

A Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter was shown making a 'water drop' in Cheatham County, cases of water delivered by the THP.

Hickman County, the Tennessee National Guard was distributing water, people cleaning up, flooded Duck River, lack of drinking water, one lady who had lived there 32 years, showed there was river water in her dishes, full of water, Duck River was flooded over the main bridge in town; new record crest by 11 feet, 3 trucks of bottled water were delivered.

One lady said of having no water, or it not being safe to drink, "You can't live without water".

The flood washed out driveways, homes, cars, some hope to salvage home, some said 'never seen anything like it', that the water was '5 feet in a house'.

The mayor of the area says 'boil water, until up and running again'.

One Nashville area donation center is the Jewish Community Center. They have 'everything you need for basic daily needs, and food, and clothing, grab a box, start shopping' which is what one, family did that lost everything but the clothes on their back. The man said they saw about 2 foot of water in an hour. The TV station stressed the need of monetary donations for the Jewish Community Center to assist the flooding victims.

The Jewish Community Center is located on Percy Warner Bldv. in Bellevue, right outside Nashville, and is open from 7 am to 10 pm.

Channel 4 TV News, 6 pm news on May 4, 2010 says:

"What a difference a day makes'.

Shows Senator Bob Corker, at the news conference at Belmont University saying "This was a shock'.

Channel 4 reports "The Cumberland (River) continues to go down'.

Channel 4 asks and tries to answer: "What can you do if you had no flood insurance?' They indicated there are humdreds of thousands in Davidson County who had no flood insurance. And that flooding is not covered by regular HomeOwners insurance. Channel 4 advised flooding victims to ' document as much as you can, in the hope that FEMA will assist'. and to 'save all your receipts'.

Shows flooding damage at Opry house, tonight's Tuesday night Grand Old Opry show moved to the War Memorial Bldg in downtown Nashville (which was not affected by the flooding).

CumberlandRriver has crested, Mayor Karl Dean says Nashville will make it thru this,

FEMA phone number is: 1 800 621 FEMA.

19 deaths in midstate, currently 3500 outages of power, down from the 40,000 outages on Sunday.

Mayor toured area with Senators Alexander and Corker, with them getting a first hand look at the disaster.

There is mandatory water conservation for Davidson and Williamson County.

MTA (Metro Transit Authority - public transporation system) plan to resume bus routes on Thursday

President Obama has told FEMA to ;view damage, report back' to him.

Opry house flooded, show moved to War Memorial Auditorium, where it first started in early 40's, Opry house shown flooded, water has covered the church pews inside the auditorium, and was as high as the stage door entrance used by the artists in back of the building. Mr. Pete Fisher, manager of the Grand Old Opry says 'We could have cancelled, but the Grand Old Opry, it's is not a place, it is a show, we miss our home, but we plan to take the show out to other venues around Nashville, we have an extraordinary cast and crew."

Channel 5, TV News, 6 pm, May 4, 2010:

The mayor says he is incredibly pleased with response of all, and the President has signed the declaration of assistance from FEMA and, we can now move into a different stage,

Mayor Karl Dean, toured with Senators Corker and Alexander, to bring aid to Middle Tennessee.

Senator Corker spoke: "We want to thank the Administration, fact that governors office is well organized, we thank them for great efforts.?

Opryland Hotel and Opry Mills Shopping Center remains under water toonight, boats that were parked in front of The Bass Pro Shop, are now floating in parking lot.

Hundreds of people cleaning up.

Channel 5 report says "We saw cars and boats, now planes - 5 airplanes from Ccrnelia Fort Airport, (in East Nashville) are now floating in the Cumberland River."

Water is contaminated, in cleaning up a flooded house, you need to get the water out as soon as possible, throw out anything cannot be washed and disinfected. if using a generator, keep generator outside, use gloves, use boots, wash down with bleach, 1 cup bleach to 5 cups (or gallons?) of water.

Chance of rain, not today or tonight, but on Friday.

Fox 17, 9 pm news, May 4th, 2010:

Showing another area, across from Opry Mills Mall in Donelson, on Cabin Hill Road, half a dozen homes ruined, how fast it flooded, within 15 minutes of noticing the water, 4 feet of water in the houses. trying to salvage what they can. ' Whatever was high stayed dry, lost whatever was down low'.

One woman indicated the family pictures that were important to her were mostly saved.

Tourism business is affected, 10 feet of water in the Opryland Hotel, Opryland Hotel rooms accounts for 12% of the Nashville hotel rooms, with the city of Nashville losing 1/5 of it's hotel taxes while the Opryland Hotel is closed. Estimates for re-opening at this time, maybe months, but 'working to reopen as soon as it's possible.'

Fox 17 showed a duckboat which helped to rescue people, including a lot of trapped hotel guests, and one group of a bridal party that was in town. the duckboat was able to carry about 20 passengers along with their luggage to safety.

The football franchise, the Tennessee Titans offices and practice center at Metrocenter okay, 2 inches in the stadium at LP Field where the games are held.

The levee behind the Fox 17 TV station is a growing threat to the station being able to continue it's news coverage of the flood itself, they say they are 'racing the clock' and the water. 'We don't know what's next when it comes to that levee;' said one reporter.

One of the Fox 17 employees was shown that had lived in his brand new house about 2 months and it was damaged by the flood. He said it's ' sticks and mortar and bricks, can be rebuilt. '

One employee who couldn't make it in spoke on the phone about the damage in her area and said it is ''neighbors helping neighbors'.

And another day has ended on the Nashville Flood of 2010.