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It's going to be a long cleanup.
Many communities across East Tennessee remain under water and are coping with crumbled roads, unsteady bridges and devastated utility systems. The remnants of Hurricane Helene brought rivers to record levels and forced evacuations.
As communities begin regrouping, they're focusing on finding people who are unaccounted for, reopening roads, ensuring there is safe drinking water and finding shelter for people whose homes are damaged.
Here's a look at how things stand, county by county.
Knox News is compiling need-to-know information on roads, water supplies and missing people. We will update this story on a rolling basis.
If you have something to share with your community, please reach out to sriley@knoxnews.com.
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Carter County
THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER
There are 5,500 customers without electricity in the county, said Ivan Sanders, spokesperson for Elizabethton and the county, told Knox News.
Crews are working to restore power as quickly as possible by restringing damaged lines, Sanders said.
ROADS AND BRIDGES DAMAGED, SUPPLIES ARE BEING AIRDROPPED
Sanders said authorities are working to airdrop food and supplies to areas cut off by road closures.
"We’ve got 14 bridges and 16 roads out right now," he said, "so air drops are the only way to reach some residents."
BOIL WATER ALERT IN PLACE BUT WATER EXPECTED BACK BY 5 P.M. SEPT. 29
Sanders said water pressure is expected to be restored by 5 p.m. Sept. 29, although a boil water alert is in place and will be until further notice.
"It’ll be a few days before the system is fully cleared," Sanders said.
COUNTY SCHOOLS CLOSED INDEFINITELY, CITY SCHOOLS LIKELY TO OPEN SOONER
Carter County Schools are probably be closed "for an indefinite period of time due to the ongoing disruptions," Sanders said.
The Elizabethton city school system will possibly be closed for only a day or two, Sanders said, but the superintendent has not made the decision public yet.
LOCAL HOSPITAL SHUT
Sycamore Shores Hospital in Elizabethton has shut down, Sanders said. Nearby hospitals, including in Johnson City, are up and running, he added.
SUPPLIES AVAILABLE AND VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Elizabethton Recreation Center will function as the county’s donation center from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 29 at 300 W. Mill Street.
The center will provide the following supplies to displaced neighbors:
- Bottled water (one case per family)
- Food
- Cleaning supplies
- Diapers
- Baby formula
- Emergency supplies to those in need
If you’d like to help, the center is most in need of bottled water and first aid kits.
The Recreation Center is also in need of volunteers to help distribute supplies 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER WATER OPERATIONS
At 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29, Newport Utilities declared a state of emergency for all water operations.
"Everyone who has water service at this point in time can expect to experience water disruption within the next approximately 24 hours, depending on your area of service," the agency said in its announcement.
Service will be restored gradually as repairs are made in the coming weeks.
WHERE TO DONATE SUPPLIES
A supply collection and distribution center has been set up: Cocke County Water Distribution Point, 613 W. Broadway in Newport.
This is the old Ingles parking lot.
POWER IS COMING
Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis said the utility is "building a powerline across the Pigeon River at Hartford and at Greasy Cove."
They have six extra contract crews working to help, he wrote on Facebook.
SOME ROADS ARE OPEN
The mayor said all state roads are open. Other interior roads are blocked.
"The majority of county highway department vehicles were destroyed in the flood, according to our highway superintendent," Mathis wrote.
Greene County
WATER IS RUNNING OUT
Greeneville's water supply will run out today, Laura White, the Greeneville Water Commission superintendent, told Knox News.
"Most people will be without drinking water," White said.
She said they're hoping to be able to pump water by Oct. 4.
Until then, the agency is working on setting up drinking water distribution pods across the county.
The county's water intake system, responsible for pumping water from the river to the treatment plant, was "enveloped" by the Nolichuckey River, the Greeneville Water Commission posted in an update.
The agency is getting a supply of water pumps in two shipments - one today and one tomorrow, White said.
The staff is working on clearing debris to get to where they need to be to place the pumps, White said.
The agency supplies water to Greeneville and a majority of the county through five utility districts and the agency posted it was not sure how long it would take to fix the supply.
The intake structure "was totally submerged," the agency said. "After the water receded today. We discovered that there is not much, if anything salvageable at our pumping station."
The water in storage tanks available to the agency is a 24-hour supply under normal conditions.
SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED
Greeneville and Greene County schools will be closed Sept. 30-Oct. 4.
Greeneville schools will provide breakfast and lunch for students noon-2 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 2. The meals can be picked up curbside at Greeneville High School. Multiple breakfasts and lunches will be provided on pickup days.
Parents will receive an email with a link to register, which will also be available on the district’s website.
POWER IS OUT
About 3,200 customers are without power, Greeneville Energy Authority spokesperson Drew Hall told Knox News on Sept. 29.
Hamblen County
SCHOOLS IN SESSION
Schools are expected to be open as usual Sept. 30, unless the Hamblen County Superintendent announces otherwise, Chris Bell, emergency management director for the county told Knox News.
WATER SUPPLY RESTORED
All water utilities serving the county, including Morristown, have reported potable water, Bell said. There is no boil water notice in effect.
There was a waterline that had washed away, but Morristown Utilities is nearly done with repairs, Bell said and the supply should be restored soon, he told Knox News around 4:30 p.m. Sept. 29.
POWER ALSO BACK TO NORMAL
Electricity was briefly affected in some areas, Bell said, but most services were restored quickly.
Critical infrastructures, such as hospitals had regained power only after a few hours of outage.
ROAD CONNECTING HAMBLEN COUNTY TO COCKE COUNTY REMAINS CLOSED
While most roads in the county have reopened, with only minor asphalt damage remaining, the Spencer Hill Road which connects Hamblen County to Cocke County remains closed, Bell said, due to a washed-away section on the Hamblen County side.
There is no other significant damage affecting traffic, he said.
JOHNSON COUNTY
THOUSANDS WITHOUT WATER
County-wide, 7,800 customers were without water, Jonesborough Utilities Manager Kevin Brobeck said in a statement to Knox News.
Sevier County
EVACUATIONS LIST CHANGES
The evacuations list has changed as Sevier County emergency management officials and the Tennessee Valley Authority work together to manage river flows.
Areas still closed:
Deerfield Mobile Home Park: Residents may come to pick up pets and necessities like medication and clothing until 6 p.m. The area is not accessible by vehicle. Must check in with a police officer at the entrance before entering. Some homes are flagged with yellow tape and should not be entered along these road: River Mist Lane, Deep River Drive, River Lane, River Dance Lane, Newsome Road, River Breeze Drive.
Homes can be entered on these roads: Binginham Island, Luther Catlett Circle, River Run Circle, River Island Boulevard, Tranquillity Lane, Gentlemens Way, River Vista Circle, River Bend Road, Indian Warpath, Twin Oaks Way, Betsy Court, Hodges Ferry Road, Rays Gap Road.
NO LONGER NEED TO CONSERVE WATER USAGE IN SOME AREAS
Sevier County Water Department customers on Jones Cove Road, Richardson Cove Road, Bogard Road, and Pearl Valley Road no longer need to conserve water, according to spokesperson Tyler Basler.
Unicoi County
73 REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR AS SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS CONTINUE
“There are no confirmed deaths related to the floods at this time,” Myron Hughes, Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency spokesperson, said at a press conference Sept. 29.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol, however, is looking for missing people, Hughes said.
While working through a debris field yesterday, the search and rescue team found a casket. Authorities are working with the William Jenkins Forensic Center to identify and notify the family, Hughes said.
Highway 81 is "totally washed out" and some areas remain impossible to get to, EMA Director Jimmy Erwin said.
FOOD, SHELTER AVAILABLE AT DESIGNATED SCHOOLS
Food distribution centers have been set up at Temple Hill School at 797 Old Highway Road in Erwin and at Flag Pond School at 917 Old Asheville Highway in Flag Pond.
A shelter has been set up at Unicoi High School, 700 S. Mohawk Drive in Erwin.
UTILITIES BEING REBUILT, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT HIT
All areas outside of flood zones will have power restored by Oct. 2, said Lee Brown, president and CEO of Erwin Utilities. About 1,500 customers were without power the morning of Sept. 29.
“Our power grid is stable and secure,” Erwin said.
Rebuilding the power line along the hospital route is going to take two to three weeks, he said. The other big hurdle is to get power back to the industrial park, he added. Broadband restoration will follow electricity restoration.
“We will continue to press forward,” he said.
All water plants are back in operation, but a boil water notice remains in place.
The wastewater plant was hit and there is no wastewater treatment for the community, Brown said. Leaders are working to put together a temporary wastewater solution, but there’s no timeframe for that.
About 533 customers in the flood-affected area remain without water and fewer than that have no wastewater service, he said.
POLICE DOG DIES IN FLOODS
Erwin police dog Scotty died in the floods after he went missing in the Bumpass Cove area. In a Facebook post, the police department described him as a friendly dog who loved playing with Kong balls. The department is asking for prayers for his handler and “all who loved him.”
Washington County
WHERE TO GET SUPPLIES
A supply distribution center has been set up at Grandview Elementary School, 2891 Highway 11E in Telford.
Areena Arora , data and investigative reporter for Knox News, can be reached by email at areena.arora@knoxnews.com . Follow her on X @ AreenaArora and on Instagram @areena_news .
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: LIVE UPDATES: East Tennessee is devastated by Helene - get county-by-county updates
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