March flooding brings Tennessee a 2nd Federal Disaster Declaration in 2021

March storms did major damage to some roads in rural Jackson County.

NASHVILLE – Six Upper Cumberland counties are among the 23 Tennessee counties that will receive federal recovery assistance under a Major Disaster Declaration in place Monday as a result of the severe weather and flooding across the state on March 27 and March 28, 2021.

“I appreciate our local, state and federal partners working so quickly, in difficult situations, to gather damage estimates and information so we are able to receive this federal relief from what was Tennessee’s second major disaster in 2021,” Gov. Bill Lee said. 

The 23 counties included in the Major Disaster Declaration are Campbell, Cannon, Cheatham, Claiborne, Clay, Davidson, Decatur, Fentress, Grainger, Hardeman, Henderson, Hickman, Jackson, Madison, Maury, McNairy, Moore, Overton, Scott, Smith, Wayne, Williamson and Wilson counties.

The Major Disaster Declaration allows the eligible county jurisdictions to seek reimbursement, through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, for emergency response measures, and the repair and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities and infrastructure.

The Major Disaster Declaration also will provide FEMA’s Individual Assistance program to individuals and households in Davidson, Williamson and Wilson counties.

More information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available at https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit

In mid-April, TEMA coordinated and organized joint preliminary damage assessments with local emergency officials and FEMA representatives in the impacted counties as part of the federal Major Disaster Declaration process.

The severe weather across Tennessee on March 27 and March 28, 2021, caused seven fatalities and disrupted power to 15,000 customers. Some areas of Middle Tennessee received between 7” and 9” of rainfall in a 24-hour-period, resulting in the worst flash flooding event since the Great Tennessee Flood of May 2010.

About the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency: TEMA’s mission is to coordinate preparedness, response and recovery from man-made, natural and technological hazards in a professional and efficient manner in concert with our stakeholders. Follow TEMA on FacebookLinkedIn and Twitter, and at www.tn.gov/tema.

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