Flooding, storm damage assessed in East TN communities

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ( WATE ) — Officials in East Tennessee communities were sharing updates over the weekend as the impacts and damage from Friday’s widespread flooding were assessed.

Several communities, especially in Cocke , Sevier, Jefferson, Greene and Unicoi counties, have been impacted by extreme flooding or excess floodwaters since Friday’s storms rolled through from a tropical system with Hurricane Helene. President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Tennessee due to the flooding, while the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has set up a missing persons hotline . Governor Bill Lee was expected to visit the impacted areas on Saturday.

In Cocke County , leaders shared updates during a press conference in Newport, which experienced extreme flooding . Newport city administrator James Finchum said on Saturday that there had been some damage to city hall and the police department, vehicles had been lost, but most of the streets in downtown had reopened. He also said there had “never been a flood like this,” and residents will have water again once the river recedes from the water operations building.

Cocke County Sheriff CJ Ball said they had made more than 50 rescues. Inmates at the Cocke County Jail were also transported to Jefferson and Sevier county jails.

In Sevier County, some residents were ordered to evacuate due to rising floodwaters from the French Broad, Pigeon and Nolichucky rivers, as well as Douglas Lake.

In Greene County, Nolichucky Dam is reportedly “stable and secure,” according to Tennessee Valley Authority officials in an update on Saturday, Sept. 28. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) said that on Friday, “TVA had reported a Condition Red for the Nolichucky Dam; however, overnight levels have crested, and the dam remains intact. There are no reports of dam failures to date.”

In Knox County, he Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Management Agency (KEMA) said Saturday afternoon that potential flooding could impact East Knox County via the French Broad River . KEMA officials issued an “urgent notice to residents in communities along the French Broad River in East Knox County regarding potential flooding,” a news release stated, due to increasing the release of swell water from Douglas Dam.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said the state is currently in a level three state of emergency due to the severe floods in parts of the state; more flooding could be anticipated as swell waters are released.

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