Hurricane Helene devastation from above: Surveying Tennessee flood damage from helicopter

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and other state and federal officials toured east Tennessee by helicopter on Saturday, viewing a hospital where the day before people had to be evacuated from the roof to escape rushing floodwaters. The officials saw homes and buildings destroyed or underwater, bridges and roadways crumbled and water being released from a dam to relieve the reservoir. Unicoi County Hospital tried to evacuate 11 patients and dozens of others Friday morning after the Nolichucky River overflowed its banks and flooded the facility, but the water was too treacherous for boats sent by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. The decision was made to direct more than 50 people to the roof.

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