MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. — Roads and homes were damaged and lives were changed forever in Marshall County after it was hit hard by recent flooding.
More information was released about the second person who died in the flooding. A representative from ALEA says:
A single-vehicle crash at approximately 11 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6, has claimed the life of a Guntersville teen. The 18-year-old was fatally injured when the 2007 Ford Five Hundred the youth was driving crossed over water that has recently flooded the roadway. The Ford was carried off the roadway where it was submerged due to the flooding. The teen was pronounced deceased at the scene. The crash occurred on Friendship Road near Cypress Road, approximately three miles north of Arab. Nothing further is available as Troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's (ALEA) Highway Patrol Division continue to investigate.
Memories of the Landers family were washed away when the water rose on their property. Clayton Landers, one of the residents, said, "It started coming in through the garage, a little bit at a time and then it came through a lot and started pushing the garage doors and then it was within 10-15 minutes it was six-eight feet, I went outside and the truck I drove was washed- washing away. There's some stuff like my stuff, I don't care about but it's the pictures and the school projects and, you know, the baby clothes and you know it's just one thing, one thing after another, they're scattered everywhere."
But the community came out to lend a hand. Neighbor Kenneth Royal said, "We heard of all the needs the water being out the sewage over spilling into the waterway and so we just thought, Hey man, it's a perfect time to to go out and show the love of Jesus to our community and so that's what we're doing."
Landers feels lucky to have what survived. He said, "I mean, I'm alive. You know, I was here by myself, luckily, my wife and kids were not here, the animals were not here, but I got out alive. You know all the sentimental stuff it may be hard, but it's, you know, I got my life."
Others were not so lucky.
According to the Arab Fire Dept., a four-year-old girl died in flooding in Marshall County.
When the Arab Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle washed off the roadway on Haynes Rd NE, where Brock Branch Creek passes under the roadway, they found a minivan been washed off the roadway, approximately 80 yards downstream. The female driver and a male child were found clutching to a tree on top of the completely submerged vehicle. The 4-year-old girl was trapped in the submerged vehicle. Arab Fire Department was able to rescue the woman and older child, but due to extreme conditions of the water there was no way to reach the female child.
An 18-year-old, identified as Stormy Hernandez of Guntersville died when their car was caught in flooding on Friendship Road.
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Two people have died in Marshall County as the results of flooding Wednesday night.
According to the Marshall County Coroner's Office:
As of 7:00 am this morning our office can confirm two fatalities as the result of flooding. A 4-year old female child died at Haynes Road & Hickory Hill Road and was recovered around 11:50 pm on Wednesday night. An 18-year old female was recovered on Friendship Road in the Union Grove area around 7:00 am this morning. We are working with law enforcement and fire personnel on both incidents to ensure the families have been notified. No additional information can be released at this time.
In light of the flooding, Arab City Schools and Brindlee Mountain Schools are closed today.
Customers of Arab Water Works are under a Boil Advisory for water due to possible damage to pipes and water lines from flooding. According to the CDC, water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute before drinking.
Roads are being checked in area that flooded. Please be careful driving, don't drive through standing water, and don't go around barricades.