Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Downtown Nashville underwater after FLASH FLOODING.

Downtown Nashville has been ten feet underwater since flood over the weekend. On Sunday, May 2nd, as much as 13 inches of rain water collected by 8:30 in the evening, the highest amount of water to be ever recorded, making the event one of the worst storms ever experienced in years. The flood is now moving through Tennessee, due to a significant amount of rain that fell into watersheds downstream of Nashville, and other communities are also likely to experience water damage this week. Thousands were evacuated and sheltered in places like the Shrine Temple, which can house 300 people, Bellevue Middle School and the Lipscomb University’s student activities building. Road transport is impossible due to the temporary road closures ordered by officials who are trying their best to solve transportation around the area.

Here's how you can help:

The Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management is encouraging residents who want to volunteer to sign up through Hands On Nashville. Register at http://www.hon.org/. The city expects approved volunteer opportunities to be available by mid-week. As of Monday afternoon, more than 3,200 people had registered, said Brian Williams, executive director of Hands On Nashville.

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, is collecting donations to support flood relief, restoration and clean-up efforts in Davidson County through the Metro Nashville Disaster Response Fund. It has also activated its Tennessee Emergency Response Fund to help communities in need beyond Davidson County. Donations can be made online to both funds at www.cfmt.org/floodrelief

The Nashville Area Red Cross also is accepting donations to support its relief efforts of the flooding victims. There are volunteers with the American Red Cross of Northeast Tennessee going into neighborhoods offering food and other supplies like cleaning kits to those who need them. Donations can be made at http://www.nashvilleredcross.org/

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