Last month’s floods in Tennessee, which may have killed more than 60 people, have also damaged four state-owned bridges “beyond repair”, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) said.
Rural Humphreys County and Hickman County in the centre of the state were hit by flash floods at the end on 21 August. The disaster was caused by a torrential downpour that deposited almost 40cm of water in a six-hour period.
As well as the loss of life, 272 homes were destroyed and 168 suffered major damage.
In the aftermath of the floods, it took a week for TDOT teams to clear debris and survey the damage.
It has now determined that four bridges on major roads were damaged beyond repair, three on state route 230 and one on state route 1.
The bridges were hit by scour and roadway erosion, as well as damage to piers caused by debris caught in the torrent.
New bridges are required, and those contracts will be tendered this autumn.
In addition to those destroyed state bridges, seven other locally owned bridges in Humphreys County have been inspected by the department and will remain closed until they can be repaired or replaced.
Image ©GCR, illustration by Denis Carrier
