NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ten families are suing CSX Transportation for up to $450 million over flooding that killed 20 people in Tennessee last year, claiming a clog underneath the railroad giant’s bridge in rural Waverly allowed a “deadly tidal wave” to form.
The lawsuit filed Tuesday in circuit court in Humphreys County claims the bottlenecked culvert and the earthen railbed supporting CSX’s elevated tracks formed a man-made dam, impeding the normal flow of Trace Creek.
The lawsuit says the railbed collapsed, releasing a “a torrent of millions of gallons of water” during the August 2021 floods.
A CSX spokesperson said its tracks and related infrastructure are maintained and regularly inspected in accordance with CSX policies, which meet or exceed federal regulations.