Tennessee Family Killed as Tree Falls on Car Amid Severe Flooding
- Victor Nwoko
- Aug 13
- 2 min read
A mother, father, and child were killed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, after a tree fell on their car overnight due to saturated ground from heavy rain and flash flooding. The fatal incident occurred just after midnight as severe storms swept across the region.
Emergency officials said the widespread flooding and saturated soil contributed to the tree toppling. Rescue crews are also searching for a man who was last seen walking through a flooded street during the storms.
The full extent of the storm’s damage remains unclear, but authorities are conducting inspections throughout affected areas. Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett described the flooding as unprecedented in scope. “This is extremely widespread. It made it difficult for us to even get here ourselves to try to help other people,” he said, noting the impact on travel and emergency response efforts.
Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp declared a local state of emergency as the storms approached, urging residents to exercise extreme caution. Numerous people required rescue from vehicles stranded by floodwaters on Interstate 24, and teams also retrieved residents trapped in homes.
Amy Maxwell, spokesperson for the Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management, reported multiple downed trees, power lines, and flooded homes in the East Ridge area. Swift water rescue teams were deployed to assist stranded residents while flash flooding continued to rise.
The region is preparing for additional severe weather. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for much of middle Tennessee through Wednesday night, warning of scattered flash flooding and heavy, tropical-like rainfall.
Comments