54 people rescued from roof of Tennessee hospital due to floodwaters from Hurricane Helene

They were rescued by helicopter, according to state officials.

ByMary Kekatos ABCNews logo
Friday, September 27, 2024
54 people rescued from roof of TN hospital after Hurricane Helene
At least 54 people were trapped on the roof of a hospital in Tennessee on Friday after floodwaters due to Hurricane Helene quickly surrounded the medical center.

At least 54 people were trapped on the roof of a hospital in Tennessee on Friday after floodwaters due to Hurricane Helene quickly surrounded the medical center.



Everyone was rescued safely, Sen. Bill Hagerty said in a statement.



MORE | THE LATEST ON HURRICANE HELENE



Unicoi County Hospital -- located in the northeastern part of the state on the border with North Carolina -- took on so much flooding that those inside could no longer be safely evacuated and had to relocate to the roof.



In addition to the people trapped on the roof, seven people were in rescue boats. The National Guard and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) are currently engaged in "a dangerous rescue operation," according to Ballad Health, a health care company that runs a chain of hospitals.



"I don't think very many people have seen something like this before," Ballad Health CEO Alan Levine said while speaking at Unicoi County High School. "The most important thing is the safety of our employees and patients. Thank God, thanks to the great work of Tennessee and Virginia partnering to help us get this rescue underway, they're all safe."



People are rescued by helicopter from the roof of Unicoi County Hospital as it is surrounded by floodwaters in Erwin, Tenn, Sept. 27, 2024.
People are rescued by helicopter from the roof of Unicoi County Hospital as it is surrounded by floodwaters in Erwin, Tenn, Sept. 27, 2024.
Alderman Michael Baker


Rep. Diana Harshbarger posted on the social platform X on Friday afternoon that helicopters had arrived to help evacuate people off the roof.



Ballad Health said in a statement on X on Friday that it received notice a little after 9:30 a.m. ET from the Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency that the hospital needed to be evacuated to the water from a nearby river rising quickly.



Although ambulances were quick to help evacuate patients, the hospital became flooded so quickly that the ambulances could not safely approach the hospital.



TEMA coordinated with local emergency management agencies so boats could be deployed to assist with the evacuation. However, water began flooding the hospital building causing an "extremely dangerous and impassable" that prevented boats from reaching the hospital.



What's more, high winds had previously prevented helicopters from evacuating the hospital.



"We ask everyone to please pray for the people at Unicoi County Hospital, the first responders on-scene, the military leaders who are actively working to help, and our state leaders," Ballad Health said in a statement. "Ballad Health appreciates the support and effort of Mayors Garland Evely, Patty Woodby and Joe Grandy, each of whom has offered assistance and have maintained ongoing contact with Ballad Health leadership."



ABC News' Alexandra Faul and Mike Noble contributed to this report.



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