Residents evacuated after flooding in Bemis

JACKSON, Tenn. — Flooding took a toll on communities across West Tennessee, Thursday. In Jackson, some neighborhoods were left completely underwater.

“It’s never been this bad, I’ve never had to leave my home,” Swade Pirtle said. “I backed my car out this morning and almost floated away.”

Heavy rain swept through the Hub City leaving some homeowners no choice but to leave.

“I had to and spend more than $200 on hotel rooms for the next few days,” Pirtle said.

One man decided wade into the water himself after grabbing some belongings before his home took on any more water.

But others did not have as easy of a time. The Jackson Fire Department used rescue boats to evacuate at least four people from homes.

“I’m afraid of that water,” the woman who was rescued said. “My house is totally flooded and this is the first time we’ve had boats out here but I just need to get to higher ground.”

For those seeking higher ground, officials opened the Carl Perkins Civic Center as a flood shelter. But others chose to test their luck staying at home.

“They need to be ready to evacuate at a moments notice,” Jackson Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Johnny Brantley said. “When the water starts rising things can get terrible pretty quickly.”

Although some water has receded in the Bemis and South Jackson area, many streets are still closed to traffic. Officials are urging drivers to “turn around, don’t drown.”