Standing water, damaged roads, and the debris left behind led to the early morning decision in Macon, as well as in surrounding counties, to close schools on Monday.
In Red Boiling Springs, reports of the flooding damage repeatedly called it the "worse since the 80's". Many areas of town were under water, including the Palace parking lot area, as well as the old park area in RBS on Highway 151 (near the Armour Hotel). The tennis courts in the old park area were covered in water on Sunday night and by Monday morning lay littered with mud and other debris.
The high waters and flooding did not force any evacuations in the county, according to American Red Cross Macon County Chapter spokesperson Ed Swanson.
However, there were reports at the Macon county Sheriff's Department of three vehicles that became trapped in the rising water. No one was injured in any of these incidents.
According to a report made to Sgt. Danny Gross, Anthony T. Thompson, of Hawkins Road in Westmoreland, reported that he was traveling on Clifty Road on March 18, when the creek overflowed the banks and crossed the road.
The report stated that Thompson attempted to drive through the standing water when his vehicle was flooded. The water was up to the dash inside the Ford Explorer and Thompson was forced to abandon the vehicle. When the water receded, the vehicle was towed by Barry Newberry back to Thompson's home.
The second report, also dated March 18, stated that Jeremy M. Reed, of Green Grove, stated that he and a friend were driving around looking at the creeks to see how high the water was getting.
When they got to the creek on Chicken Road, Reed discovered that the brakes on his vehicle would not work and the vehicle ran into the creek. The engine stopped and would not start again. Both Reed and his passenger crawled out of the window of the 1991 Blazer.
The vehicle was then swept away by the high water and washed between a quarter mile and a half mile down the creek. The vehicle came to rest under a tree, with extensive damage. This report was made to Sgt. Darrell Taylor.
The third report of a vehicle trapped in the rising water came from the Trammel Creek Road area. According to the report at the Macon County Sheriff's department, Pamela Barrett was trying to cross the water that was standing in Trammel Creek Road and was unable to cross. She was located inside her vehicle and removed from the scene. A complete report was unavailable on this incident.
On Monday, a list of roads was posted at the Macon County Highway Department that listed roads that had been declared unusable by school buses and mail carriers.
Among the roads on the list were the following: Dark Hollow Road, Gann Hollow Lane, Galding Hollow, Gas Branch, Deer Lane, Fishburn Lane, and South Long Creek.
The biggest portion of the problem with many of the roads that had been temporarily closed were missing culverts and tiles, as well as debris covering the road. In some areas, land and gravel around the bridge had been washed away.
A spokesperson with the Macon County Highway Department stated that personnel at the Macon County Highway Department are working to get the roads passable first and then will go back and complete all the necessary work in an area.
"They've been getting the debris out of the road and working hard to get the roads passable," the spokesperson stated, "especially for the buses and mail carriers. Things are getting better. It will be a while before they will be able to go back to each road and do everything that is needed, but the roads are becoming passable."
With more rain forecast for Tuesday night and Wednesday, some of the same situations could materialize over the next few days.
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