Severe flooding as a result of record rainfall in the southern US states over the past few days has led to the closure of the Grand Old Opry Entertainment complex in Nashville, Tennessee.

Various performances scheduled for the Grand Old Opry House have been relocated to other venues in the city, including the War Memorial and Ryman auditoriums. The last time such a relocation had to be arranged was in 1975, when the Opry had to move to Nashville's Municipal Auditorium only one year after it opened. That move was also caused by the Cumberland River flooding.

Grand Old Opry vice president Pete Fisher said: "While we ourselves are shaken by the impact of the flooding of the Opry House and throughout the area, it is important that Nashville's most treasured tradition continues with this week's shows." He added that Opry backstage tours and visits to the Grand Ole Opry Museum have been temporarily suspended and that it was too early to say how long operations at the site would be affected.

The widespread flooding, which is reported to have killed 19 people throughout the state, also affected Nashville venues such as the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Centre, LP Field, the Schermerhorn Symphony Centre and the Bridgestone Arena. Even those restaurants and bars in the city's downtown area which have been unaffected by the flooding have had to close due to power outages. One of Nashville's two water-treatment plants is also underwater, prompting city officials to ask residents to use water only for drinking, cooking and hand-washing.

Pic: Dolly Parton in concert at Grand Old Opry