Over 50 People Rescued from Tennessee Hospital Roof

In Erwin, Tennessee, over 50 individuals, including hospital employees and patients, were stranded on the roof of Unicoi County Hospital due to severe flooding caused by Hurricane Helene's remnants. The Nolichucky River rapidly rose, making evacuation efforts treacherous and leading to the deployment of helicopters, rescue boats, and the National Guard. Initial evacuation attempts using ambulances were thwarted as floodwaters surged too quickly for safe access. By midday, 54 people were confirmed on the roof while seven others were stuck in rescue boats. The situation has been described as extremely dangerous, with high winds complicating aerial rescue operations. So far, over 30 fatalities have been reported across states affected by the hurricane, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm.