WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. — On Friday morning, Hurricane Helene made land-fall in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Hours of intense rainfall and unprecedented winds led to mass devastation, uprooting communities across the region.
The torrential rainfall caused severe flooding near large bodies of water—even threatening to break several dams—which left many residents without shelter, power, and water.
The sudden surge of weather heavily impacted regions located near the Nolichucky river, which hit a peak level of 19.5 feet Friday afternoon, in comparison to its regular 10 foot average.
Most inhabitants were given little notice to evacuate due to the unusual nature of the storm, leaving them stranded amidst the debris-filled water. Even those who were fortunate enough to flee in time were still faced with great loss, as many lost their homes, livestock, belongings, and loved ones.
The floods spurring from the Nolichucky split roads apart and engulfed nearly every bridge from the south of Erwin to southwest of Greeneville, making rescue missions nearly impossible.
“We know there’s houses that have been washed away, roadways have been washed away. We know there’s bridges that have collapsed,” said Washington County EMS Chief Dan Wheeley. “It’s really been very difficult to access these areas because we can’t get across the river; as it recedes with boats and things, we can start getting across it if needed.”
Along with ripping houses from their foundations, the floods also destroyed many buildings and businesses stretching from Lamar to Erwin.
One business in particular, Fender’s Farm, had just begun their fall season last week. What’s typically complete with a corn maze, pumpkin picking, and haunted attractions is now reduced to a mess of mud and debris.
“We’ve got total devastation is the only way that I know that we can explain it,” said Fender’s Farm founder and co-owner Carroll Fender. The attractions they had spent countless decades and dollars improving are decimated, with no sign of how long it will take to rebuild.
A few miles south, Erwin, TN also suffered an enormous loss.
As flood waters filled the first two floors of Unicoi County Hospital, many were left stranded with the building in disrepair. After a strenuous rescue operation, authorities were able to rescue over 50 patients and staff members stranded on the hospital’s roof.
Both the Virginia State Police and the Tennessee National Guard arrived Friday afternoon to conduct the rescue. The Tennessee National Guard deployed three Blackhawk helicopters for the operation, and the rescued patients were flown to another facility 15 miles away in Johnson City.
Also located in Erwin, the I-26 bridge collapsed in the floods as well, making travel impossible for the next few months. This will hinder rescue efforts heading to Asheville, North Carolina, which is currently facing what residents are referring to as “Asheville’s Katrina.”
Tennessee governor, Bill Lee, declared a state of emergency after the events of Friday, as well as requesting “an Emergency Declaration from the President of the United States.”
President Biden approved the declaration, which will allow for federal disaster assistance through the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), allowing more money and resources to help in the aftermath.
The governor arrived in the region Saturday afternoon to survey the damage, flying over it alongside First Lady Maria Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Speaker of the House of Representatives Cameron Sexton, federal delegation members, and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
“Though our state has weathered significant storm damage, [Tennessee] is resilient, and we will rebuild,” said Lee on X. “We continue to pray for all impacted communities and urge Tennesseans to follow local guidance for key updates and community resources.”
These community resources are currently the lifeline of residents impacted by the storm. With several local schools opening their doors for victims, many members of the community have helped through donating time and resources.
Lamar Elementary, David Crockett High School, and South Central High School are being used as a command center for first responders and relief aid, providing food and shelter for those in need.
“We have stocked up some supplies so we are ready as families are brought to us from being stranded due to bridges being destroyed. We were also able to send supplies via helicopter to areas that are basically islands right now and to our friends in the South Central zone,” said Lamar Elementary on Facebook. “First responders are working tirelessly to get [victims] to safe grounds and have school buses ready to transport them to Lamar.”
Downtown Jonesborough is also serving as a donation center for food and necessities, with donors dropping off cases of water and home-baked goods at the town’s visitor center.
Besides ensuring the safety and well-being of victims, the recovery efforts also involve restoring power and water to thousands of residents in the region. Jonesborough, and a large portion of Washington County, is still taking immediate precautions to preserve water, as they’re unsure of how much is left.
“Once we are able to safely treat the water at normal rates, we will begin to open our water system to those areas that have been shut off. That is yet to be determined,” said the Town of Jonesborough on Facebook. “We are fortunate that our plant will be fully operational once the river settles enough to allow water to be safely treated. Until then, be prepared for an extended disruption of service.”
Due to a lack of water, and out of respect for the victims, the town also canceled the National Storytelling Festival, which was set to start this week. The festival, which typically attracts thousands of people each year, would only “distract from recovery” and “endanger [those] traveling to the festival,” according to the International Storytelling Center.
As the community moves forward with recovering from this storm, continuing to look after one-another will be imperative.
“When we wake, it would be easy to see sunshine and think all is well, but the reality is many areas and families in eastern Tennessee will still be battling nature, struggling and devastated by a natural disaster,” said Jonesborough Mayor Chuck Vest. “Those that live closest to the river will be impacted for weeks and months so be ready to help, donate, pray and be an empathetic neighbor to all.”
See a list of ongoing community relief efforts below:
Tennessee High School
Tennessee High School is collecting items based on grade level:
- 9th grade: travel pack of baby wipes, flashlight and batteries, new pair of shoes
- 10th grade: plastic utensils, first aid items, new pajama set
- 11th grade: pack of granola bars, can opener, new blanket
- 12th grade: package of peanut butter crackers, cleaning supply items, air mattress
Symphony of the Mountains & Paramount
Symphony of the Mountains and Paramount Bristol are hosting a benefit concert on October 8. 100% of the proceeds will go to support disaster relief efforts from Hurricane Helene.
Shop & Hop Flood Drive
The Downtown Kingsport Association will host a Flood Relief Drive Thursday, Oct. 3, as a part of its October Shop and Hop. A truck will be located outside of High Voltage on 101 Cherokee St. from 5 to 8 p.m. to collect donations.
ETSU Athletics Donations Drive
ETSU Athletics has partnered with the University of Chattanooga to collect donations at the ETSU football game on Saturday, Oct. 5. Fans can bring donations to the Food City Fan Zone in Lot 21, while bins will also be set up at the stadium entrances. The Chattanooga Athletics Department is also accepting donations this week and will deliver those to ETSU’s campus on Saturday.
Bucs Stuff the Bus
ETSU’s “Bucs Stuff the Bus” school supply drive has expanded to include schools affected by the catastrophic flooding. They seek donations of a variety of supplies, including paper products, organizational tools, technology and arts and crafts materials. In addition to collection bins across campus, the effort will continue at the ETSU vs. Samford football game on Saturday, Oct. 12. Additionally, donations can be made through Amazon wish lists available online. Learn more.
Bucky’s Food Pantry
Bucky’s Food Pantry is seeking donations for those affected by Hurricane Helene. The pantry will utilize the existing food donation bins, located across ETSU’s campus, to collect non-perishable food items to donate to our communities in greatest need. The locations of these bins are listed on the Bucky’s Pantry website. Monetary donations may be made here.
Food City/Eastman Campaign
Food City and the Eastman Foundation have each pledged a $100,000 contribution for a total of $200,000 to kick off the fundraising drive. The campaign will run from Tuesday, Oct. 1 through Friday, Oct. 12 in all Food City locations. Customers wishing to participate can make a monetary donation at the checkout. 100% of the funds collected will benefit the United Ways of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia disaster relief funds.
