The Nation - News from Feb. 17, 1989

An earthen dam burst on the rain-swollen Obion River in Tennessee, sending a 4-foot wall of water cascading through a rural village as the worst flooding in a decade swamped river-side towns and cities in central Kentucky. Twenty-five families were rescued by boat in Rives, Tenn., after a levee broke, but no injuries were reported. The storms that have brought 10 inches of rain to parts of Kentucky and more than 6 inches to Tennessee let up somewhat and changed to snow in some higher elevations. But the National Weather Service said the worst flooding was yet to come as runoff from the rains continued.