A teenage boy was rescued from the Root River area in Franklin Sunday evening after being swept away while wading in the flooded roadway.
According to Franklin Mayor John Nelson, the "youth was rescued without incident and is not injured."
The Franklin 911 Dispatch Center received a report of a subject missing in the Root River around 4;27 p.m. Sunday in the area of the 6500 Block of W. Drexel Avenue.
Due to the significant rainfall and flooding experienced in the past 24 hours, the response was quickly elevated to a Water Rescue response, according to the Franklin Fire Department.
First responders found the water on the Root River to be extremely high, over its banks, and moving across Drexel Avenue with a strong current. The road was closed and marked with barriers to deter access to the flood zone.
According to a press release from the fire department, emergency crews deployed to both the east and west sides of the river and began searching in an attempt to locate the teen near the area where he was last seen by witnesses.
Responders successfully made voice contact with the boy, who was holding on to a tree branch and standing on a submerged log in the rapidly moving water about 100 yards downstream from where he entered.
An inflatable Zodiac rescue boat and was used to locate and safely remove the teen from the water. He was transported to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation.
"This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by flood waters," the fire department said. "Never walk or drive through flooded roadways or around barricades. Moving water as shallow as 6 inches can knock an adult off their feet, and 2 feet of moving water can sweep away most vehicles."
A Franklin resident sent TMJ4 photos of the group of children wading in the water before the rescue was required.
The City of Franklin sent out an alert advising parents to keep children away from flooded areas and roads. Officials said all such areas are marked with signs and blocked for safety.
This is a developing story. Continue following TMJ4 on air and online for updates.
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