No such thing as off topic in musings
HEre is a time log update on the flooding
Cumberland River expected to crest at 51.5 feet
1:25 p.m.: Metro police have cleared all pedestrians from Second Avenue, echoing the request through megaphones with urgency in their voices. Police have asked pedestrians — many of whom appear to be tourists — to remain at or behind Third Avenue and Broadway. There is water covering First Avenue, and it may continue to rise as the day progresses.
12:45 p.m.: Metro has established damage assessment teams that began scouring the city Monday morning to take stock of damage to city buildings and infrastructure.
According to Dean, the offices of the public defender and the district attorney, the Juvenile Justice Center, Old Hickory Library and Frederick Douglass Head Start Facility have sustained "significant" flood damage.
12:35 p.m.: Officials expected the Cumberland to crest at 51.5 feet around noon today. The waters flooded over the banks and have flowed into the downtown area. Residents on 1st Avenue have been evacuated; floodwaters were close to a story high in at least one downtown condo building.
This doesn't mean flooding is going to stop when the river crests. The National Weather Service predicts flooding to continue for at least the next 24 hours, to be followed by a gradual decrease beginning Tuesday night.
12:30 p.m.: The Nashville Electric Service reports that, at the storm's height, 42,000 people were without power. That number is now around 14,000. NES has also taken some flooded areas and buildings offline, including the Pinnacle building, MetroCenter, the LP Field substation, Schermerhorn, and the Market Row condos.
NES lost 37 trucks — including 19 bucket trucks — as well as tools linemen and women use for repairs, CEO and President Decosta Jenkins said. Its West Service Center is flooded and offline.
There are 29 NES crews and 30 private contractors working 12-hour shifts to restore power. Jenkins said he expects the city to be back at full power within a few days.
12:05 p.m.: FOP lodge opens as a rest and recovery center for police officers
The Fraternal of Police has opened the Jerry Atnip Lodge Hall for relief and recovery of police officers.
“Our police officers and all of the emergency services in Nashville have done heroic work since the beginning of the flooding in the city,” Sgt. Robert O Weaver, president of the FOP in Nashville. “This is an effort to begin to respond to the responders.”
The FOP has been in contact with the National FOP Disaster Relief Committee to provide assistance once we determine what the needs of officers are. The Lodge is also open to receive donations for police officers and police families as needed. The Lodge is located at 440 Welshwood Dr and can be reached at 831-2464.
“We do know that we have officers who have been in difficult situations for several hours and they may not even know what their own losses are,” Weaver said. “The FOP is ready to assist officers in Nashville.”
The FOP is working in conjunction with emergency services to provide assistance to first responders in Nashville.
11:40 a.m.: The Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management has confirmed a total of six fatalities in Davidson County that are thought to be flood related.
The body of Robert Woods, 74, was recovered Monday morning near his West Hamilton Avenue home. He was reportedly in his yard yesterday when he was swept away by flood waters.
The body of Joshua Landtroop, 21, of Valley Way, was recovered Sunday near Bell Road and Blue Hole Road. He was swept away by flood waters in the area Saturday.
Andrew J. England, 78, and Martha England, 80, were found deceased Sunday evening inside their 908 Delray Drive home. They are believed to be the victims of a flash flood.
Two bodies were recovered Sunday from a vehicle found upside down in standing water on Sawyer Brown Road. Joseph Formosa, 88, and Bessie Formosa, 78, of Sawyer Brown Road attempted to drive across the flooded roadway when their vehicle was swept away.
Also, at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, three men tied inner tubes together to “raft” on Mill Creek. A short time later, the inner tubes broke apart near the Mill Creek Bridge. A 19-year-old man managed to swim ashore. The other two men are missing.
11:35 a.m. Red Cross offers home cleanup advice. Nonprofit offers tips to begin the cleanup process for entering and repairing a flooded home.
11:20 a.m.: Franklin officials say the city’s water is safe to drink.
The water supplied by both the city’s water system and the utility districts that supply water to residents, are useable and drinkable. Officials have no plans to shut off the water supply to residents.
The city of Franklin’s Waste Water system is reaching its limit, but is still able to operate. Residents are asked to be conservative with their consumption of water. Limiting activities such as laundry, showers, and using dishwashers, will help conserve the City’s waste water supply and allow the system time to recover.
As a precaution, residents are encouraged to fill a couple of jugs or bottles of water. Having extra water on hand is a good practice in weather emergencies.
11:15 a.m.: Fifty Davidson County Sheriff’s Office inmates will start bagging approximately 72 tons of sand at the Correctional Services Division warehouse, 5117 Harding Place, at noon today. The more than 10,000 bags will be distributed, upon request to Metro Public Works or the Office of Emergency Management, to various places throughout the city.
11:05 a.m.: With the Cumberland River overflowing its banks to at record levels, Davidson County emergency workers have begun evacuating parts of downtown Nashville.
The mandatory evacuation is affecting buildings along First Avenue.
http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/2010-flood/open-thread-cumberland-river-expected-crest-515-feet
