Chattanooga Hit With Historic Rainfall, Flash Flooding, and Tragedy
Severe storms brought devastation to Chattanooga on Wednesday, August 13, after more than six inches of rain fell across the city. The relentless downpour triggered flash floods, toppled trees, and left multiple people dead.
Authorities confirmed that three members of one family — two adults and a child — were killed in East Ridge when a tree, loosened by the saturated ground, fell on their car just after midnight. The Chattanooga Fire Department shared the news on social media, noting the tragedy occurred along South Moore Road.
Later in the day, officials reported a fourth death in a separate incident. Witnesses said a man crossed a fire department barricade before being swept away by floodwaters. Crews searched for several hours before worsening conditions forced them to pause. Authorities are still working to confirm if the recovered body matches the individual who was last seen.
Record Rainfall and Emergency Response
According to the National Weather Service in Morristown, Chattanooga recorded 6.42 inches of rain on Tuesday alone — the city’s second wettest day on record, behind a 2011 storm. The flooding forced road closures throughout the region, including sections of Interstate 24. Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp declared a local state of emergency in response.
Emergency crews conducted numerous rescues as water levels rose. The Chattanooga Fire Department, along with the Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency, evacuated residents from flooded homes and pulled stranded drivers from submerged vehicles.
Amy Maxwell, spokesperson for the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management, described the situation as overwhelming: “We have a lot of trees down. We have a lot of power lines down. We have a lot of homes flooded in East Ridge. We continue to see people driving into high water and having to be rescued.”Sheriff Austin Garrett praised first responders across the county, writing, “Public safety is more than a job — it’s a calling.”Witness Accounts
Residents described the flooding as sudden and relentless. Paul Broughton of Cleveland, TN, told the Chattanooga Times Free Press: “It was just a matter of coming out of that gully, and then I looked and the whole road was covered. Lord have mercy. A little rain here and a little rain there, and then all of a sudden it just started coming down. It was relentless.”
Forecast: More Rain Ahead
Although the heaviest rain had passed by Wednesday evening, forecasters warned that storms were not finished. The National Weather Service said scattered showers and thunderstorms would return Thursday, with rain chances tapering off into the weekend as a drier weather pattern develops.
Sheriff Garrett urged residents to remain alert: “While yesterday’s weather event has passed, the forecast is calling for additional heavy rain. Always have a safety plan for your family and stay weather aware.”
