Deadly Flash Floods Strike Chattanooga Hit by Historic Rainfall: Tragic Floods Claim Lives in Tennessee.
At least three people have lost their lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, following torrential rainfall and devastating flash flooding that swept through the city overnight on Tuesday. The deluge, which dumped 6.42 inches of rain in a single day, marked the second-wettest day in Chattanooga’s history since records began in 1879, according to the National Weather Service Office in Morristown.
The catastrophic weather event caused widespread disruption, shutting down major highways, stranding vehicles, and prompting daring swift-water rescue operations across the region.
A tragic incident occurred in East Ridge on Wednesday morning when a family of two adults and one child perished after a tree fell onto their car, as reported by the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
Authorities are also searching for a missing man who was swept away by floodwaters. First responders witnessed the man being carried off by the current and attempted a rescue using swift-water boats, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The search remains a top priority, with teams resuming operations at first light.
Unprecedented Rainfall and Emergency Response
The relentless rainfall transformed Chattanooga’s highways into rivers of muddy brown water. Video footage captured a large truck navigating Interstate 24 with water levels reaching its trailer, while cars were seen swirling in floodwaters that rose to window level. Both directions of I-24 were temporarily closed on Tuesday, but by 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, the highway was cleared and reopened, offering some relief to stranded motorists.
Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp declared a local state of emergency as the flooding overwhelmed infrastructure and endangered lives. The Chattanooga Fire Department and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office mobilized swift-water rescue teams to assist those trapped by the rising waters.
In one notable rescue, six people were saved late Tuesday night after their van was nearly swept away by an overflowing creek at the intersection of Davidson Road and Gunbarrel Road. No injuries were reported in this incident.
Firefighters worked tirelessly through the night, checking submerged vehicles for trapped individuals. “This was a large coordinated response effort by city, county, and state agencies as flash flooding caused dangerous situations in Chattanooga,” the fire department said in a statement.
The sheriff’s office also conducted rescues in East Ridge, where swift-water teams used inflatable boats to evacuate residents from three homes surrounded by rising floodwaters.
Ongoing Flood Risks Across the Region
The threat of flooding persists across Tennessee and beyond. A flood watch remains in effect for approximately 6 million people in parts of Tennessee and eastern Kentucky, where saturated soils and additional heavy rainfall could trigger further flash flooding.
Cities such as Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga in Tennessee, as well as Asheville, North Carolina, and Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina, face a slight risk of flooding. The National Weather Service has warned that excessive runoff from heavy thunderstorms could inundate creeks, streams, and low-lying areas, particularly in regions already hit hard by Tuesday’s rainfall.
Glacial Outburst Threatens Alaska
While Chattanooga begins its recovery, thousands of miles away, residents of Juneau, Alaska, are bracing for their own flooding crisis. A glacial outburst from Suicide Basin, a lake near the Mendenhall Glacier, has begun releasing water, threatening major flooding along Mendenhall Lake and River through Wednesday.
The Mendenhall Lake gauge reached a peak of 16.65 feet at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service office in Juneau, and the area remains in a major flood stage. City officials have urged residents to evacuate potential flood zones, and a flood warning is in place until 8 a.m. Thursday.
The Army Corps of Engineers is supporting Juneau’s preparations, providing 37,800 feet of HESCO barriers, 400 super sacks, 112,000 sandbags, and 25,000 feet of polyethylene sheeting to mitigate the impact of what could be a record-setting flood.
As communities in Tennessee and Alaska grapple with these extreme weather events, authorities continue to monitor conditions and urge residents to stay vigilant.
