Storms drop more than 5.5 inches of rain, causing flooding, road wash-outs in Etowah County

Donna Thornton, The Gadsden Times
·3 min read
A section of McLain Street in Hokes Bluff is broken apart by the unexpected summer storm that hit the Etowah County area on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.
A section of McLain Street in Hokes Bluff is broken apart by the unexpected summer storm that hit the Etowah County area on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

Late afternoon/evening storms bombarded southeastern Etowah County with more than 5.5 inches of rain in about 80 minutes on Tuesday, causing flash flooding, a few road wash-outs and a number of reports of trees down, according to Josh Tanner at the Gadsden-Etowah County Emergency Management Agency.

Gadsden firefighters made at least three water rescues, all in the area between Walnut Street and the Gadsden Mall, Chief Wil Reed said, and a Gadsden police officer made one rescue on George Wallace Drive.

Reed said all involved motorists who drove into water and their vehicles stalled, and all were safely removed.

Road closures and reported storm damage:

  • Paden Road to Howe Boulevard, in East Gadsden and Glencoe, is closed because of a wash-out

  • McClain Street in Hokes Bluff, is closed after a new culvert washed out; a 6-inch water line was ruptured

  • Tawannah Trial is open to traffic now, after steel plates were placed over a wash-out on the only road in and out of a subdivision

  • Airport Depot Road in Glencoe had a pipe washed out

  • Striplin School had a partial roof collapse, causing damage in some classrooms and temporary cancellation of some summer programs

Hokes Bluff Mayor Scott Reeves said the wash-out on Tawannah Trail is 40 to 48 inches wide, and thanks to a local contractor providing steel plates, the only access for residents on that roadway is open. He said repairs had recently been made in that area and the pipe washed out.

Something similar happened on McClain Street, he explained. The city had replaced a 30 inch pipe with a 36-inch one. "And it still washed out," the mayor said, taking a 6-inch water line that feeds residents toward Smiths Crossroads and Rabbittown Road.

City crews were out till 1 a.m., Reeves said, and after going home to get some sleep were at work again.

Reeves said with more storms expected Wednesday afternoon, it would be Thursday or Friday before substantial repair work could begin. McClain Street, he said, likely will be closed for a few days.

W.E. Striplin Elementary School and Servpro tend to water damage inside the school on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. "We are just glad it did not hit our library," said Brianna Willet, the school's secretary. More than three classrooms were affected, and summer camps held at the school were moved to other schools in the area.
W.E. Striplin Elementary School and Servpro tend to water damage inside the school on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. "We are just glad it did not hit our library," said Brianna Willet, the school's secretary. More than three classrooms were affected, and summer camps held at the school were moved to other schools in the area.

Gadsden City Schools Superintendent Tony Reddick said a partial roof collapse at Striplin Elementary caused damage in eight or 10 classrooms — already being cleaned up and repaired.

21st Century After School Summer Camp is canceled for the rest of the week at Striplin, Reddick said, as well as Literacy Camp. He said things should be back in business next week.

Etowah County Engineer Robert Nail said the county had reports of trees down and some road washing, but no major damage was reported.

The EMA received 75 reports during and after the storm of flooding issues or trees down.

"Trees are still coming down," Tanner said Wednesday morning. Saturated and softened ground from heavy rain often results in falling trees.

Daniel Martin, a forecaster at the National Weather Service in Birmingham, said upper-level disturbances moved across the southeastern area of Etowah County, contributing to the heavy rainfall.

"We are very slowly trying to develop a solid timeline as to what occurred, but it was those storms that moved across the area over a short period of time that ... resulted in the heavy flooding," he said Wednesday morning.

A tree down on Argyle Circle caused damage, but fortunately not to the home or vehicles there.
A tree down on Argyle Circle caused damage, but fortunately not to the home or vehicles there.

The NWS forecast more showers and thunderstorms in the area on Wednesday, with up to an additional inch of rain possible through Wednesday night.

Martin said many roads across Northeast and Central Alabama remained closed because of the flooding, and drivers moving into those areas should remain cautious.

"We need to urge people to keep off of those closed roadways and not to drive through heavy water if they see it on the roads," Martin said. "We know that a lot of people are trying to get to work, but please find an alternate route if possible when you see the flooding.

After a long night, the GECEMA staff was monitoring the forecast for storms on Wednesday. Tanner said those forecasts showed the weather systems on the same track as those Tuesday, though not expected to bring as much rain.

Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com. Staff Writer Miranda Prescott contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Storm drenches east Etowah with 5.5 inches of rain, causing damage