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WGUS74 KMRX 041909

FFSMRX

TNZ040>044-041930-



FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN

307 PM EDT SAT AUG 4 2001



...A FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR WASHINGTON...COCKE AND GREENE

COUNTIES UNTIL 530 PM EDT...



EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON EMERGENCY OFFICIALS CONTINUED TO REPORT 

FLOODING IN SEVERAL AREAS. 



IN WASHINGTON COUNTY...



LIMESTONE CREEK WAS FLOODING WITH AT LEAST ONE VEHICLE WASHED INTO 

THE CREEK.  THE CASSI ROAD AREA WAS ALSO UNDER WATER WITH 

EVACUATIONS IN PROGRESS.  SOUTHWEST OF JONESBOROUGH...BILL MAUK ROAD 

WASHED OUT. A MOBILE HOME PARK WAS EVACUATED ON TILLFORD SCHOOL 

ROAD.  THE AREAS AROUND LIMESTONE AND FALL BRANCH...ALONG HIGHWAY 

11E...ARE ESPECIALLY HARD HIT. SOME BRIDGES MAY BE OUT OR 

DAMAGED...AND OTHER ROADS DAMAGED. DO NOT TRAVEL IN THESE AREAS. YOU 

MAY BE PUTTING YOUR LIFE AT RISK.



IN GREENE COUNTY...



MANY ROADS ARE DAMAGED AND BRIDGES EITHER DAMAGED OR GONE... 

ESPECIALLY IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY. A BRIDGE ON OLD 

JONESBOROUGH ROAD IS CLOSED. IN RHEATOWN...SEVERAL HOMES WERE 

DAMAGED AND THE RESIDENTS EVACUATED.  ALSO...MIDDLE CREEK ROAD... 

SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 107 HAS HAD EVACUATIONS TAKE PLACE.  EVACUATIONS 

ALSO OCCURRED ON GREYSTONE ROAD AND ON HIGHWAY 70 OUT OF NORTH 

CAROLINA.



IN COCKE COUNTY...



DEL RIO HAD AS MUCH AS TWO AND A HALF FEET OF WATER IN TOWN AT ONE 

POINT. THE WATER HAS RECEDED FOR NOW...BUT SOME BUILDINGS WERE 

DAMAGED AND A FEW BRIDGES AND SMALLER ROADS IN THE AREA COMPROMISED. 

DEBRIS WAS JAMMED AGAINST A BRIDGE ACROSS HIGHWAY 107 ON BIG CREEK NEAR

DEL RIO.



IN ADDITION...



THE NOLICHUCKY RIVER IS OUT OF ITS BANKS IN GREENE COUNTY. THIS IS A 

MAJOR FLOOD. SOME EVACUATIONS HAVE HAD TO BE DONE BY HELICOPTER AND 

BOAT.  THIS FLOOD WAVE WILL EVENTUALLY MAKE ITS WAY DOWNSTREAM TO 

OTHER PARTS OF GREENE COUNTY AND TO COCKE COUNTY. THIS WILL TAKE 

SEVERAL HOURS TO A FEW DAYS TO COMPLETE. THESE AREAS WILL ALSO 

EXPERIENCE FLOODING...THOUGH LIKELY ON A LESSER SCALE.



THE FRENCH BROAD RIVER IS EXPECTED TO CREST AT AROUND NINE FEET AT 

THE HIGHWAY 321 BRIDGE NEAR NEWPORT...AT ABOUT 8 PM SATURDAY NIGHT. 

THIS IS ONE FOOT BELOW FLOOD STAGE AND WILL NOT CAUSE FLOODING AT 

THIS POINT...THOUGH LOW LYING AREAS ALONG THE FRENCH BROAD WILL 

LIKELY EXPERIENCE MINOR FLOODING.



THE PIGEON RIVER IN DOWNTOWN NEWPORT IS NOT EXPECTED TO FLOOD AT 

THIS LOCATION.  HOWEVER...HISTORICALLY...THE PIGEON RIVER IS VERY 

TEMPERAMENTAL AND COULD CAUSE MINOR FLOODING OF PRIVATE PROPERTY EVEN 

AT LEVELS BELOW THE OFFICIAL FLOOD STAGE.



LAST...



STAY OUT OF AREAS IN FLOOD UNLESS YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY. PLEASE OBEY 

LOCAL LAW AND EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES. THEY ARE TRYING TO SAVE LIVES 

AND PROPERTY AND YOUR COOPERATION IS THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN DO THIS.  

THIS IS A DANGEROUS...REPEAT...DANGEROUS FLOOD SITUATION.  YOU ARE 

RISKING YOUR LIFE IF YOU DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADS OR FIELDS OR TRY 

TO CROSS BRIDGES THAT HAVE WATER OVER THEM. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR 

IN VEHICLES.



IF YOU HAVE RELIABLE INFORMATION...PLEASE GIVE IT TO YOUR LOCAL LAW 

ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL OR CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT (423) 

586-2296.



$$



BOYD

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