Floods can be one of the most devastating natural disasters possible, especially when it happens quickly due to a dam breaking or other event. For most people, when heavy flooding is predicted, the only course of action is to flee and get to higher ground. For Tucker and Justin Humphrey in Western Tennessee, however, building a makeshift levee is a much better choice.

Their family has lived in an area prone to flooding for a long time, and when growing up, their father taught them to build a levee to protect their property. Levees are very effective at diverting water and keeping it out of an area, which is why they have been used by people for thousands of years. Of course, most people today don’t know how to make them. And they do take some time (especially if you don’t happen to live on a farm with heavy machinery). These two, however, knew what they were doing and got to work protecting their property.

And it’s a good thing they did.

Just hours after the pair completed building a barrier that was as high as nine feet in some parts, the rain caused the Obion River to overflow, resulting in water nearly reaching the top of their levee to flow down and surround them on all sides.

About 100 people in the area had to be rescued due to the rapidly rising waters, and sadly, more than 30 people died due to the flooding. The Humphreys and their property, however, remained untouched.

In an interview with the Washington Post after the fact, Tucker said:

“Just normal things around here. Doing what we have to do to save the house.”

Video of the property, dry but surrounded by brown floodwater on all sides, was taken by the local Fox affiliate and posted on their X, which can be seen here:

Aerial footage shot last week shows a home in the northwestern Tennessee town of Ridgely appearing like an island amid a sea of brown floodwaters. The property was protected by levees the family had constructed, preserving their home as the area around them was devastated. pic.twitter.com/qffDbaKXXL

— FOX Weather (@foxweather) April 16, 2025

This goes to show that with a little know how, some heavy machinery, and a lot of hard work, anything is possible.

And, if the flooding gets worse in this area, these brothers are ready. They said:

“I’ll build it 30 feet tall if I got to.”

Good plan!

If you thought that was interesting, you might like to read about the mysterious “pyramids” discovered in Antarctica. What are they?