Decatur Co. schools close due to flooded roads

DECATUR COUNTY, Tenn. — The parking lots of Decatur County schools were empty Wednesday afternoon.

“This morning was — it was kind of tricky,” Decatur County Sheriff Keith Byrd said. “We had a lot of water everywhere.”

Sheriff Byrd says the school cancellation was due to recent heavy rainfall and flash flooding.

“It rains so much so fast that the creeks can’t take all the volume of water that’s going down them,” the sheriff said. “And a lot of times they’ll back up over the county roads.”

Residents say Dunbar Road is just one of the roads that was underwater Wednesday morning, preventing buses and students from commuting to school.

The sheriff says some students were even on their way to school around six in the morning when he suspects the bus drivers reported the hazardous roads.

“They were headed to school, but they never made it,” Sheriff Byrd said. “They had to turn around and go back.”

Officials also say the rising Tennessee River may also cause flooding to backroads.

“Flood stage is 365. We’re at that now,” Sheriff Byrd said. “They’re expecting 370 by Sunday, so 370 is high.”

The sheriff says he suspects school to be back in session Thursday but says, considering the recent weather conditions, that could change.

“With it raining like it did last night — and it’s still raining pretty hard right now — we’ll continue to have some flooding issues on the county roads,” Sheriff Byrd said.

Sheriff Byrd also urges boaters to avoid going out onto the river until the floodwaters have receded.