WAVERLY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Monday will mark two years since deadly flood waters swept through parts of Humphreys County, killing 20 people and destroying people’s homes and businesses.
The National Weather Service reported 9 to 17 inches of rain fell across the Middle Tennessee area within a six-hour period on Aug. 21, 2021. Then another round of storms hit the same area later that night.
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Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis took News 2 on a ride along around the city to show how far the area has come in the past two years.
Waverly Elementary and Junior High Schools, and the government housing units still sit empty and damaged, and crosses line the roadways to commemorate the victims. They serve as painful reminders of what happened on Aug. 21, 2021.
“We don’t ever want to forget it, similar to the train explosion, we never want to forget those people that died in it, but some of the things that affect us, that make us relive things every day, it’s hard. It’s right here in your face,” Davis said.
Davis told News 2 it will likely take Waverly decades to recover, but he believes it will never be the same.
Despite that, there are signs of progress. Waverly Central High Schools football field was completed last year, and the Elementary and Junior High School’s temporary building opened this August. Homes have been rebuilt, too.
Davis credits the community for pushing through. “When the rubber meets the road, our big assets come out, and our biggest asset is are people, and that’s one of the great things about our county and the great thing about our home is its people.”
The city will hold a candlelight vigil commemorating the victims Saturday, Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. next to the former Waverly Junior High School. The Waverly mayor has also ordered a granite monument to honor those who lost their lives.
