WAVERLY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A town hall will bring together the Waverly community, state and federal officials to discuss flooding solutions on Friday night. It comes eight months after more than a dozen people were killed when floodwaters tore through the city.
It's happening at Waverly First Baptist Church at 6 p.m.
The town hall is going to give the community an inside look into what the agencies have been working on to prevent similar disasters from happening, and time to ask questions about the progress.
Many have pointed to Trace Creek for turning into a raging river. Months after the deadly floods, the federal government committed thousands of dollars to study the creek and what went wrong during the heavy rainfall.
The U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers will consider questions about if bridges over Trace Creek should be rebuilt and should the creek be rerouted at certain sections. It may take up to two years to answer some of the questions.
At the same time, almost a dozen families are seeking $450 million from CSX, the company that owns and operates the rail line in town. The families argue the culverts, clogged with debris, turned the rail line into a levy. Eventually, the water won causing the rail line to collapse and create a surge of water.
Read more: Understanding the lawsuit filed by family members killed in the Waverly Flood
Waverly Mayor Buddy Fraizer said he cannot stress how important it is for the community to attend Friday night's event, stating the future safety of the city depends on the progress being made.
