Flooded Tennessee town wrestles with how, where to rebuild

By JONATHAN MATTISE and TRAVIS LOLLER
Associated Press

WAVERLY, Tenn. (AP) — A hundred years ago, the massive rural Tennessee flood that killed 20 people could have been chalked up to a fluke of nature. But experts say climate change is making the type of flood-producing rainfall that inundated Waverly last month more common. The town of just over 4,000 people faces a dilemma. More than 500 homes and 50 businesses were damaged. That will likely result in massive revenue losses while the city spends millions on cleanup and repairs. If those homes and businesses don’t return, the town could die a lingering death. But if they build back along the creek, they could be risking another disaster.