NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Eleven people are dead and 23 people are still missing as East Tennessee is in full recovery mode after catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Helene remnants last week.
Gov. Bill Lee, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and other state officials met Wednesday to go over the efforts the state is making to help those in need.
At the last check, TEMA said more than 600 structures and homes were damaged from the flooding. Of those, 120 are destroyed and 313 were majorly damaged.
"This is a survivor-centric effort we are making," Gov. Lee said. "This response by all departments is survivor-centric. The people in East Tennessee need response and cooperation. They are getting that, and there is a long road ahead. We are hopeful and we are committed and we are very concerned. There has been a significant response, and there’s a tremendous amount of work to do."
How you can help
If you're sitting here in Middle Tennessee and feeling huge empathy for the neighbors to the east, you can help.
Both The East Tennessee Foundation and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee will take donations through the Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund.
Bristol Motor Speedway has offered to partner with the state to become a disaster relief center for East Tennessee. TEMA said they will accept
donations for supplies and bottled water.
TEMA said they will push all donations there.
In a week, East Tennessee will need help with cleanup and mucking out.
If you're driving to East Tennessee
Workers with the Tennessee Department of Transportation have been assessing hundreds of roads and bridges to figure out the damage.
TDOT officials said they expected hundreds of millions of dollars in damages and months of closures.
Of the 13 bridges that were closed, seven bridges have reopened. Roads are also reopening after 48 sections of state roads were closed. Twenty-five have since reopened.
These are five bridges that were destroyed:
- Washington County SR-81 Nolichucky River Bridge
- Washington County SR-353 Nolichucky River Bridge
- Greene County SR-107 Nolichucky River Bridge
- Interstate 26 bridge at mile marker 39.6 east and westbound
In cleaning the interstate, TDOT removed 58 loads of debris.
If you still can't reach someone you love
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has established a hotline to coordinate reports of missing persons in the areas affected by the recent flooding in Northeast Tennessee.
Those wishing to report missing individuals believed to be in the affected areas across East Tennessee may contact 1-800-TBI-FIND (1-800-824-3463).
If you are calling, you should be prepared to relay as much identifying information as possible.
That includes names, phone numbers, vehicle identification and last known whereabouts.
TEMA said they have had to ask for Spanish translators in the community. TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan said they are also in contact with the Mexican consultant and Mexican nationals to ensure reunification efforts.
The timeline for asking the federal government for help
Sheehan said a week ago that the state of Tennessee talked to emergency management directors in Tennessee about Hurricane Helene's effects.
On Thursday, TEMA conducted a statewide weather briefing and activated a state of emergency based on the forecasting. TEMA said they let emergency managers and the public know that residents living along the rivers could see flooding.
"Imagine forecasting a response that you can’t imagine that would happen," Lee said. "No one imagined that there could have been the level they were. We had water flowing down the Nolichuckty River that 168 times more than normal. No one would could imagine the flow of that river. There will be a lot to learn and analyze once this is over. This was an unprecedented event."
Once the rain and flooding started Friday, Gov. Lee asked for federal help.
Lee said the federal response was quick and federal reimbursements were readily available.
TBI investigation into the plastics plant
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating Impact Plastics in Erwin, where people died.
In reports to the Knoxville News Sentinel, those working at the factory said they were told they weren't allowed to leave as floodwaters started surrounding.
When employees were told they were finally allowed to leave, some ended up dying as they were trying to flee.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at emily.west@newschannel5.com
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
