Rainfall of 13 inches to 18 inches in 36 hours on the 1st and 2nd of May, 2010, caused widespread flooding throughout the Cumberland River basin. Twenty-three deaths were attributed to this natural disaster with an estimated cost of $1.5 billion dollars. More than 23,000 Tennesseans eventually registered with FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) for assistance, with more than 40 Tennessee counties declared natural disaster areas.
This jumble of numbers does not do...
more »Rainfall of 13 inches to 18 inches in 36 hours on the 1st and 2nd of May, 2010, caused widespread flooding throughout the Cumberland River basin. Twenty-three deaths were attributed to this natural disaster with an estimated cost of $1.5 billion dollars. More than 23,000 Tennesseans eventually registered with FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) for assistance, with more than 40 Tennessee counties declared natural disaster areas.
This jumble of numbers does not do justice to the disaster.
Recovery started for many of the survivors with simply waiting for the muddy waters to recede. It was not until the second week after what was middle Tennessee's 500-year flood that life finally began to take on a routine of sorts for the tens of thousands of survivors. Time for the initial pass through to throw out obvious debris--flood-water ruined furniture, carpets, insulation, etc. After this time of assessment, decisions had to be made: stay and rebuild or sell out. For those who chose to stay, their recovery progress was directly related to finances. Many received assistance through gifts and donations, private insurance or government programs. Just as many were helped out by volunteers who did anything from tearing out dry wall to hauling logs. Slowly, Tennessee's flood survivors began the uphill work of recovery.
It is the resilient, "can-do" response on the part of those who were knee-deep in debris and destruction, with favorite possessions and family heirlooms lost or covered in muck and mire, which drew my cameras for the creation of this photo essay. Their courage and even humor were contagious--and necessary.
As stated before, the statistics and numbers of this flood do not do justice to the magnitude of this disaster. They never do. It is my hope that this photo essay will help those who are curious to better understand Tennessee's ongoing struggle.
Tamara Gentuso
August 2010
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