'All I can do is wait:' Flood waters persist in Anderson County
More than a month after flooding linked to historic rainfall in East Tennessee high waters continue to plague some Anderson County neighborhoods.
Brandi Anderson has lived in her house on Hidden Valley Road for twenty years and has never seen anything like this before.
"I bought the house in 1998. I don't have flood insurance," Anderson said. "I have talked to my insurance company and they say there is nothing they can do to help me."
Anderson said the water has slowly started to go down, but she has not been able to assess all of the damage.
"My heat and air unit is gone, my septic tank is gone, all the duct work underneath my house is gone. I'm not sure if it got all the way inside the house," Anderson said.
Neighbors in the area also said they have never seen anything like this before. Barbara Saylor lives on a hill across the street from the flooded homes. She said it breaks her heart to see her neighbors have to go through this.
"It's heart-wrenching. They're having to stay away from home. They're having to pay for their own housing. We have been getting the mail so somebody won't come by and vandalize their mailbox," Saylor said.
Laurel Road is still partially covered with water. Anderson County Roads Superintendent, Gary Long, said he expects the road to reopen in a few days.
"That particular area backfeeds from Clinch River through a cave or crevice. Out there, that particular road flooded when it wasn't raining, so it's not runoff. It's backfeeding through the river, however, it's going down now, because the level of the river is down, and it's allowing the water to leave out through the caves and crevices. It flooded off the roadway, actually on private property, and backed up into the roadway," Long said.
Long said the flood waters on the homeowners' property could take weeks to dry up.
"I've spoken with the mayor's office. I've spoken with EMA and we probably will not get any funds from the federal government just because there's not enough damage in Anderson County," Anderson said. "I am going to hope for the best and rely on the wonderful people of Anderson County."
