Woman rescued from Northwest Tennessee floods; snowfall delaying her return home

OBION COUNTY, Tn., (KBSI) – Snowfall Tuesday may delay Rives residents from returning home, after being evacuated Sunday due to severe flooding.

Rives Fire Chief Campbell Rice said many of the evacuees found temporary shelter with family and friends, some stayed in hotel rooms, and some have been able to return home as the water continues to recede. 

Others are staying at the Woodland Mills Civic Center where the American Red Cross set up shelter. There, people have access to cots, Wi-Fi, food, drinks, and comfort kits containing hygiene products.

Tresa Summar is staying at the shelter with her sister and six-year old nephew. She said their future is unsure.

“A few months ago we was praying for all the other victims of Hurricane Helene, you know. Never in a million years did I think a few months down the road, I was gonna be in the same boat they were in,” she said.

Summar and her family were evacuated from their flooded home on Sunday – emergency responders transported them by boat.

While it was traumatizing for Summar, she said her nephew had a different experience.

“He enjoyed the boat ride out, you know, he’s laughing,” she said, “and I’m over there bawling –  him asking me, ‘Titi why are you crying?'”

Summar said she experienced a lot of emotions as she left their home and all of their things behind, including three pet cats she couldn’t find before the rescuers came to take her family to safety. She doesn’t know if she’ll ever see those cats again.

“I’m trying to hold onto hope that my three cats might have got on something tall,” she said. “I’m hoping and praying when we do get to go back – that’s when, you know, I have no idea – hopefully, maybe I can walk in and they’ll be there.”

Fire Chief Rice said they got the pumps running on Tuesday – pumping about 4000 gallons of water a minute out of the city. 

“It’s dropping quite rapidly,” he said. “We probably dropped, maybe three feet today.”

Rice said more residents were allowed to return to their homes and their power was restored. They are also working on getting the sewer system back up.

Rice said damage to the town cannot be fully assessed until the water has totally receded.

The snowfall may delay that process.