Helene's floodwaters devastate East Tennessee
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Flooding around the Unicoi County Hospital in East Tennessee. Photo: Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
The remnants of Hurricane Helene thrashed East Tennessee on Friday, causing catastrophic flooding in several communities near the North Carolina border.
The big picture: Towns were evacuated and whole homes were carried away by record-breaking floodwaters. A portion of Interstate 40 along the state border was closed at the Pigeon River.
- Nearby, in Unicoi County, more than 50 people fled onto the rooftop of a local hospital to escape muddy water that surged beyond the banks of the Nolichucky River.
- Emergency crews deployed from Nashville and around the state to help with dangerous water rescue missions.
What they're saying: State Rep. Jeremy Faison, who represents part of East Tennessee including Cocke County, said the recovery efforts in that part of the state "are going to be monumental."
- "Praying for safety and for our county and all those around us," he said on social media.
- Faison cautioned residents who fled their homes not to return, as water could continue rising for days.
State of play: Gov. Bill Lee declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon. President Biden approved a federal emergency declaration, making federal aid available for recovery efforts.
- Across the Southeast, the storm has claimed the lives of at least 91 people, according to the Associated Press, including 30 in Buncombe County, N.C., where Asheville is located.
- At least two deaths have been reported in Tennessee, according to state health officials. Over the weekend, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation set up a hotline (1-800-TBI-FIND) for reporting people missing in the flood-impacted areas.
- As of Sunday night, there were about 12,000 people in the northeastern corner of the state without power, according to poweroutage.us.
Zoom in: The frantic evacuation at Unicoi County Hospital, located along the North Carolina border, was emblematic of the chaos that gripped the region in Helene's wake.
What happened: The Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency ordered the hospital to evacuate at 9:38am local time, according to a statement from Ballad Health. But by the time ambulances arrived to help, fast-rising floodwaters blocked the hospital.
- The state deployed rescue boats, but the force of the coursing, debris-filled water "became extremely dangerous and impassable," Ballad said.
- Powerful wind made a helicopter rescue impossible for a time. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency reported the safe completion of the rescue mission hours later, at 5:14pm.
How to help: The East Tennessee Foundation started a fund to assist affected counties.
Keep reading:
- Tropical Storm Helene is catastrophic for western NC mountains
- "Our hearts are heavy": NWS writes emotional letter to Carolinas, Georgia
- Historic and deadly Hurricane Helene slams Florida to the Carolinas
- Tropical Storm Helene: "Flash flood emergency" explained
- 11 dead in Georgia as flooding, power outages persist
- Hurricane Helene could rewrite storm history in the South
- In photos: Tropical Storm Helene in Atlanta
- Photos: Hurricane Helene's destructive march through Florida
- "Heed the warning": Survivors of Helene's flooding reflect as recovery begins
- Hurricane Helene's rapid intensification fits ominous trend
Editor's note: This is a breaking story that has been updated with new details.