MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — For the first time since early Sunday morning, Braiand Rivera and his family were able to return to their home in the Farmington neighborhood.
Many of their neighbors’ homes remain unhabitable, with sandbags lining garages and front doors. Rivera recalled going to bed Saturday night and waking up to rising waters Sunday.
“I was up at two in the morning. I looked outside the window — there was no water. My mom woke me up at like 7 or 8, [and] the water's in the driveway,” Rivera said.
Several garages along the Riveras' street appeared to have their doors pried open. Rivera said they weren’t left open, but neighbors believe water pressure forced them open. Rivera helped unload one family’s car as they returned home from staying at a neighbor’s relative’s house.
“[It was an] emotional roller coaster. That's what I can say. [I felt] anxiety with my mother [and] stress. Friends lost homes,” Braiand's brother Noah Huertas said.
One of the moments that stuck with them was seeing a neighbor reportedly swim through floodwaters to grab important documents. The family recalled him getting back to safety, coming out of the waters shivering.
“It was really sad," Jose Huertas said. "I saw multiple neighbors crying. It's really sad."
Although Rivera and his family were able to return home, their driveway remains blocked with water. For many neighbors, recovery will likely take weeks or months.
Rivera said Sunday morning’s floods were unlike other recent flooding events they’ve seen.
“The backyard was filled up like a pool," Rivera said.
Braiand and his family believed water pumping led to waters rising so quickly. News 2 spoke with both Clarksville officials and officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, both of whom said they don't do pumping in that area. A Montgomery County spokesperson said she would check to see if the county conducted any pumping and added their assessments are ongoing.
