Heavy rainfall and flooding in Tennessee lead to a tragic incident where a family of three, including a mother, father, and child, lost their lives due to a fallen tree.
Heavy Rain and Flooding Cause Tragedy in Tennessee
A series of heavy rainfall and flash flooding incidents in Tennessee on August 12-13, 2025, resulted in at least four confirmed deaths and numerous rescues.
The flooding was so severe that 911 calls were "holding in every minute of every hour for about three hours straight" due to the number of calls for help. The Chattanooga Fire Department and first responders were kept busy, carrying out numerous water rescues to save people trapped in vehicles and homes as water levels rose rapidly.
One of the most tragic incidents occurred in East Ridge, where a tree fell on a car, killing a mother, father, and child. The three deaths occurred due to saturated ground causing a large tree to fall just after midnight. Another person was swept away after running past a barricade on a flooded road, and their body was found during the search. The local police and medical examiner are still determining the exact cause of death for this individual.
Troy Plemons, a communications systems technician, was stuck in traffic in his bucket truck for two to three hours during the flooding. Despite the challenging conditions, he played a crucial role in rescuing a woman from an SUV that was being lifted by the floodwaters. Plemons used a boring bit to break the window and assisted her out.
In addition to the tragic losses, dozens of people were rescued during the flooding. Lawson Electric's workers, Austin Camp and Brandon Shadwick, coordinated with Plemons for hours to help move between 25 and 35 people. From babies to seniors, they moved people to safety without much communication. Swiftwater rescue teams also rescued residents of three East Ridge homes trapped by rising floodwaters.
The flooding forced the closure of Interstate 24 near Chattanooga due to several feet of water, and at least one storm shelter was opened to assist displaced residents. During the flooding, there were 60 vehicles on the flooded interstate, and some first responders had to carry people on their backs through the water.
At a news conference, officials stated that they didn't expect such heavy rain and flooding to occur so quickly. Mayor Wamp toured East Ridge and stated that the property and infrastructure damage was not as bad as he expected based on the appearance the previous night.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for much of middle Tennessee through Wednesday night, warning of scattered flash flooding, tropical-like heavy rainfall, and the possibility of training storms. The Chattanooga airport recorded more than 6.4 inches (about 16 centimeters) of rain on Tuesday, making it the second-wettest day for the city.
As the community recovers from this tragic event, our thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones. Officials are working to determine the causes of death for some victims and assess the damage caused by the flooding.
In a stark contrast to the Tennessee flood crisis, Seattle experienced unexpected wildfires on the same date, causing panic and evacuations. noteworthy, the city's weather service issued a wildfire alert due to the dry conditions and high temperatures. The fire department and first responders worked tirelessly to contain the blaze, saving numerous buildings and infrastructure from destruction.
