NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville was heavily damaged by the flooding on March 27. Now, there's a council person who wants the city to make moves to clear Seven Mile Creek of debris.
From the air, it's clear the damage is widespread.
Flooding in the areas around the creek was swift and carried cars, trash and whatever was in its way downstream.
"It's one thing to see it up close and personal. it's another thing to see it when it's just how widespread it really is. And so, even up in the air when you asked me that, you're sort of rendered speechless," said Metro Council Member Courtney Johnston, of district 26.
Johnston's district was ravaged by the flooding. To date, five people are known to be killed by the flooding. However, Johnston fears there could be more.
"Unfortunately, We're expecting to find others as we go through in the coming days. Because there are so many people who live in these creek beds and the flash flooding is so fast and so furious. Especially a week and a half ago, I'm hoping that we don't find anybody else, but I won't be surprised. It's devastating," she said.
From the Metro Nashville PoliceD helicopter, it became clear the waters rose high into the trees. On the creek right by Currey Road near Briley Parkway, trash is suspended from almost every high branch along the creek bed. Trash bags tents and remnants of homeless camps can be seen in the flood plain.
Johnston wants the city to step in and work on the creek.
"We're not going to stop huge rain events from happening," she said. "But, we could be better prepared when they do come. I think that's something that we need to take a good hard look at with how are we maintaining these creeks which are, from an infrastructure perspective is our drainage system?"
Dozens of homes were damaged by the flooding and cars can still be seen sitting in the creek. Johnston became emotional when describing what her constituents are going through.
"There's a lot of people who are hurting. There's a lot of people who are displaced with really no idea how they're going to get back into their homes, when they're going to be able to get back into their homes," she said.
