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By Shane Croucher
Senior Editor
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Officials in Tennessee said at least three people were killed and another is missing after heavy rainfall led to flash flooding in Chattanooga and Hamilton County overnight.
Two adults and a child died when a large tree fell on a car in East Ridge because of the saturated ground, the Chattanooga Fire Department said in a Wednesday morning post on Facebook.
"Meanwhile, in Chattanooga, search efforts continue for a man who went through flood waters on East Brainerd Road on foot last night and has not been seen since," the fire department said.
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The flooding prompted rescues of people stuck in homes and swamped vehicles on Tuesday, and the region was bracing for more rainfall and flooding Wednesday.
Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp declared a local state of emergency Tuesday night as first responders responded to flash flooding and urged people to exercise extreme caution.
Footage shared by the Chattanooga Fire Department showed stranded cars swallowed by the flooding after heavy rain fell on areas of Tennessee on Tuesday, August 12.
Tennessee Road Closures: What We Know
Flooding had temporarily closed parts of Interstate 24 but Rae Anne Bradley, regional communications officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, said late Tuesday that water had receded from the I-24 and that all east and west lanes had reopened after stranded vehicles were cleared.
Earlier, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office had shared a list of local roads affected by the flooding.
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Is There Still Flooding in Tennessee?
Though the waters have receded in most areas, there remains a National Weather Service (NWS) flood watch in place for much of middle Tennessee through Wednesday night, and more rain is forecast to fall.
The NWS warned of scattered flash flooding with tropical-like heavy rainfall and the possibility of training storms, especially over already saturated areas.
"The National Weather Service is calling for localized heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding through tonight across east Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and southwest North Carolina," said the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office.
"Persons living near streams or areas prone to flooding should stay alert for the potential issues. Localized flooding of low-lying areas and roadway flooding are possible."
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Sheriff Austin Garrett said the flooding was more extensive than he had seen before, noting that it is usually concentrated in one area, The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported.
"This is extremely widespread. It made it difficult for us to even get here ourselves to try to help other people," he said. "So no, I've never seen it to this extent, this widespread in so many areas and impacting travel the way it is."
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Updated, 8/13/25, 10:25 a.m. ET: This article was updated with more information.
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