Thank you so much, Sarah--this is one of those stories that did not receive the national attention that it deserved.

My heart goes out to the residents of Nashville -- seeing the devastation affecting so many families makes me grateful for what I have. I wish I could go and help out in person, but a Red Cross donation will have to suffice.

Thanks for posting regarding our great city! I know there were many other surrounding areas that were hit hard as well.
For anyone interested, the area code for the Nashville area is 615- it was missing from the post regarding how to donate.

Let's hope that the appliances, cars and building materials are recycled for scrap material rather than sent to landfills....
...and that folks do the sensible thing by moving to higher ground rather than rebuilding in the low-lying areas.

@bepsf: This was a once-in-500-years kind of flood, so these people WERE on high ground. Many couldn't even GET flood insurance because they weren't in a flood plain. There was no seeing this one coming.

Man, what a negative person.

Another thing, many people that weren't even close to a river were flooded because the rain came down so fast and in huge quantities. My neighbor lost two cars and everything else in their basement garage within half an hour.

Thanks squirrelpearl, I added it in above as well!

"Many couldn't even GET flood insurance because they weren't in a flood plain."

That's blatantly untrue - Many folks weren't REQUIRED by their mortgage lenders to get flood insurance because they were deemed to be "outside" a potential flood area, so they didn't think it would be worthwile to spend the money. Insurers don't walk away from business that's less likely for claims than other areas - in fact they're more likely to walk away from areas that are MORE prone to flooding.
(I live on top of a hill on the 15th floor and even I have flood insurance...)

And why is it negative to suggest that people not rebuild in areas that are prone to flooding, particularly in a world of projected rising sea-levels? It only seems the sensible thing to do.

KVDesigns is right - historical flood plains don't matter much when you're dealing with 14 inches of rain in one day. It wasn't a matter of bad choices - it was just more water than Nashville has seen in several centuries, if ever.

It hurts to see my hometown struggling through something like this - even the tornadoes back in '98 weren't this bad.

All us Nashville expats are keeping you in our thoughts, y'all.

Thank you so much for this post! Nashville still needs all the help they can get, and any donation to the Red Cross is much appreciated. I'm a Nashville native who now lives in Alabama. My husband and I helped demo three homes on Saturday in the River Plantation area. There is still so much to be done, and some areas haven't been helped at all yet. thank you so much for spreading the word!!

bepsf, I thought your comments were negative because you assumed the Nashvillians who were flooded were being foolish by living where they did.

Also, many people who thought they had flood insurance have come to find out that it was only if they had a plumbing issue, or if it was for a natural disaster flood, that their policy covered the structure but not the contents. And I could be wrong about them not being able to get flood insurance, but why would they when their area had never flooded in recorded history? Why you are paying for flood insurance on the 15th floor on top of a hill is beyond me.

Thanks for posting about this! Nashville has really pulled together to help those here in need, and Hands on Nashville has been a fabulous resource for volunteers. While the Red Cross is great, there are other organizations that will be here to help rebuild long after the Red Cross trucks have finished their rounds. Please consider The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee: http://www.cfmt.org/floodrelief/

I live in Nashville, moved here 10 years ago. I have flood insurance. I live in a flood zone. The insurance was a requirement of our mortgage lender. I would have had flood insurance anyway, because like I said, I live in a flood zone.

Guess what? Didn't get flooded. By some miracle, we didn't get flooded, even living in a flood zone, even with 28% of our annual rainfall occuring in just 2 days. Two wet, terrifying days.

Many -- no, MOST -- of the people who experienced flooding in their homes were not in a flood zone. As of this writing, 17,000 people have applied to FEMA for assistance, and 42 COUNTIES IN THIS STATE have been declared National Disaster Areas.

For those of you who want to shoot your mouth off and kick people when they're down -- and why is it almost always bepsf? -- bugger off. bepsf expressed worry about environmental responsibility regarding disposal of ruined appliances!! but didn't utter one word about the families whose homes and lives were destroyed -- 23 people died, by the way, you heartless piece-of-work. Kiss my ass.

Thank you to those who have donated to Red Cross and other charitable organizations to help those affected get back on their feet. If you know someone down here even just a call to offer your well-wishes and support would be so appreciated.

My heart goes out to the people of Nashville. In UK we have been experiencing floods in the last couple of years, also in areas where flooding in unheard of.

"I thought your comments were negative because you assumed the Nashvillians who were flooded were being foolish by living where they did."

No, you assumed that's what I meant - You chose to read something into my statement that wasn't there.
My meaning was that they now know they live someplace that's prone to flooding - so rather than rebuild in the same spot it would make sense to relocate to a place that's less exposed so that this would be less likely to happen to them again.

"Why you are paying for flood insurance on the 15th floor on top of a hill is beyond me."

Burst pipes can also cause quite alot of damage - That too is considered a flood for insurance purposes, however the risk is low (therefore the cost is low) My insurance guy thought I was crazy too - but when I explained that I've already lived through one flood due to broken pipes, he agreed that the small additional expense was well worth it.

What I have always wondered is why there even IS a separate flood insurance? How come floods aren't just a part of normal home insurance or property insurance, like tornado damage or lightning strikes are? There's undoubtedly some history and maybe even a good reason, but I don't know what it is.

I don't think people need to be so hard on bepsf or anybody else who poses questions, or points out that there are other impacts that may be forgotten about in the mess that the rain made, simply BECAUSE everybody FIRST thinks about the people... It's an unprecedented disaster for that city. People's lives were taken, or ruined, or severely undermined... and we all feel terrible about that.

That doesn't mean that the parts of those refuse heaps of destroyed belongings shouldn't be sorted into recyclables and real trash (although I can see how that might not seem important to those doing the cleanup in the moment). SOMEONE should do it, even if it's painful...

And it doesn't mean that people who DO choose knowingly to live in flood plains (and there are many out there, including on both coasts) aren't taking a risk that this will happen to them. Denial is powerful, maybe this lesson will remind them to think about the possibility.

Just sayin'... nobody here accused any Nashville victims of anything, nobody was cruel to them, it's just subjective interpretation of legitimate observations by other readers who maybe see meanness where none was actually meant.

bepsf - If all the people that experienced flooding in the city and surrounding counties moved to "higher ground" the entire town would be abandoned. I understand your comment, but in this situation, I think it's best to let those who live there speak for themselves and the situation at hand.

Just because someone read something into your statement doesn't mean that they were wrong in doing so. By being a frequent participant to Apartment Therapy people might interpret things said based on previous comments made to the different sites.

Being a native Nashvillian living just outside of the city, I must say that I was surprised and excited to see this story here. Thanks AT!
I would also like to add (just for the record) we had 18 inches of rain in 36 hours.
Regarding flood debris, Metro Nashville is requiring citizens separate all garbage for disposal (appliances, construction materials, vegetation and household trash) and all electronics are being collected at a different site.

"My meaning was that they now know they live someplace that's prone to flooding - so rather than rebuild in the same spot it would make sense to relocate to a place that's less exposed so that this would be less likely to happen to them again."

--bepsf, a 100-year flood is not the same thing as "prone to flooding." FEMA even differentiates in their flood maps.

Also, how does it make more sense, financially or environmentally, to rip down an entire home and build from scratch elsewhere instead of repairing the 25 - 50% of the home that is damaged?

Guys we're all missing the point of the post.

Think about the people in Nashville. Help in some way if you can.

Think about your own risks where you live (shit happens everywhere) and make the approriate arrangements. There's been a lot of the "once in 100 years" storms, floods, volcanos, etc lately. We're just in that time span. It'll settle eventually, but try to be ready if it should happen to you.

And bepsf, do you have a 72 hour emergency kit and full earthquake coverage? ;-)

All sympathies to those in Nashville. What a horrible thing to go through. It sounds like Red Cross is on the scene, so we're donating there.

Hardly anything a soul wrenching as having your nest flooded. The fatigue, dismay and feeling of helplessness can be overwhelming. I've been flooded out in Louisiana (twice) and Oregon - all record breaking unexpected events in previously untouched areas.

If there is a silver lining, it's that your life will go on and you have an opportunity to change the channel and choose a new direction now that things that defined your environment are no more. I would never have let go of my full tilt art deco furnished lifestyle (complete with thousands of small objects) until nature hit the flush button and wiped my tabula rasa. Freed from my obsession (and my finances), I was forced to build a new environment from scratch. It ended up being a life affirming and cleansing passage.

Small comfort right now, in the shock and loss of all you hold dear. For those who lost loved ones, nothing will repair the damage. I'm sending my donation and best wishes your way, Nashville.

My heart often is drawn to Nashville as I'm 2 hours away in Huntsville, Alabama.

My heart goes out to Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin & any surrounding areas that were damaged. Nashville (& it's surrounding towns) is an amazing, beautiful, & friendly city. The people there welcome guests with warm smiles & a comfortable atmosphere.

@bepsf

It's actually true. I used to live in Cottonwood when I was little, and we weren't allowed to get flood insurance. They only offered it to people that had houses near flood plains. Get your shit straight.

It isn't just homes that were lost. I work for the Community Resource Center (CRC)- the lifeline for middle Tennessee nonprofits. We provide basic necessities and more to over 80 nonprofit agencies. Our warehouse was flooded and all of the contents were a total loss. The items we had would have gone to homeless shelters, schools, senior centers, and a variety of other agencies who serve those in desperate need.

Thanks to small businesses, nonprofits, and others we are back in the business of giving at a temporary location. CRC has been designated by the mayor's office to handle small in kind donations for flood relief. For information about how were are recovering from the flood while providing flood relief, visit our blog. We are Two Chicks in a Warehouse continuing our mission of providing basic household necessities to people in desperate need. http://twochicksinawarehouse.wordpress.com/

Dear bepsf, Up until about 14 days ago you could get legally only get a water damage rider on your insurance policy if you did not live in a flood plane. 8 days prior to the flooding in 57 counties in Tennessee did flood insurance become available to purchase as an additional rider on your home owners. Contrary to popular belief you could not just pay the premium for flood insurance unless you lived in a flood plane area. There were homes that were flooded miles from the river.

Did you know that Nashville is a river city with thriving river traffic that helps to transport goods all over the place?

Did you also know that most of the major interstates in and around Nashville were underwater some nowhere near a river or water tributary?

Did you know that there is over 1.6 billion dollars and counting in personal property damage NOT including the contents of the homes that were flooded. Nor does that number include business and infrastructure that was destroyed

Did you know that your comments are rude and do not pertain to the situation that took place in Tennessee?

Did you know that the ONLY reason we have gotten ANY national coverage is because resident and country music stars like Kenny Chesney called out CNN for their lack of coverage?

Did you know that our President has yet to visit the people of this great State and offer his condolences. He'd rather go to Arkansas and play golf while his wife has a tea party?

Did you know that this is the costliest none hurricane disaster in the history of our state?

Did you know it's people like you that make it very hard for the rest of us to stay positive and move forward?

Did you know that you can not salvage parts off of household equipment in a natural disaster. It is called felony theft of property and is punishable by jail time and substantial fines?

Please next time you open your mouth and insert your foot be mindful of the people you are addressing.

LB

I heart you LynneBlais & I love Nashville. Terrific response full of FACTS. My best to you & all my TN neightbors during this struggle.

@bepsf

This was not a 100 year flood. This was not a 500 year flood. The Army Corps of Engineers is now calling this a 1000-year flood event. While I appreicate your concern for the environment, saying people should think twice about rebuilding in low-lying areas due to this event is not only callous and heartless, but also a load of complete crap. These were NOT low lying areas. They were nowhere near the flood way or even the flood plain. They were MILES from the nearest river. What part of 1000 YEAR FLOOD do you not understand?

I can only hope that if you or your family suffers a tragedy of such epic proportions that people will show you more compassion than you have shown here. I grew up just outside Nashville and still live here now, and have been so incredibly inspired by my community's response to this disaster. I am so proud to be a Nashvillian, and so proud and thankful that we as a community have much more heart and compassion and kindness than you seem to be capable of.

For those of you who haven't seen it yet, there is an incredible blog post that has made the rounds here and even been covered on network news shows regarding the flood. It completely sums up why I am so proud of my city and why I KNOW we will make it back from this stronger than ever before:

http://www.section303.com/we-are-nashville-4366

I'd like to thank everyone who has shown concern and/or has donated time, money and supplies to those of us in Nashville. I was very lucky that my house was safe (my neighbor wasn't so luck). As I drive to work everyday, I see the remains of people's homes. It has made me realize how lucky I am to not have lost anyone or anything. There were some places that were hardly affected which is great because it will help my city's economy (tourism is a huge contributor to our economy). It was mostly residential areas that got the brunt of the damage.
Please donate anything you can. We are in the recovery phase now which is when the real work begins. Buy a shirt, donate something, or even call in (or go online) to the telethon going on this Sunday (http://www.visitmusiccity.com/visitors/keeponplayin). And come visit! Nashville is open (especially downtown, I'd say 90% of downtown is back up and running. Nashville is a great city and we need your help.
Thanks again to everyone!