More than 50 people were stranded Friday at an eastern Tennessee hospital due to fast-rising water and high winds, after several attempts to airlift them failed during a dangerous rescue operation, Ballad Health officials said.
The high winds and water levels prevented helicopter crews from airlifting patients and staff from Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee, hospital officials said.
“The situation at the hospital is very dangerous,” Ballad Health said on X, adding the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and National Guard were engaged “in what can only be described as a dangerous rescue operation.”Patients and staff members are evacuated from Unicoi County Hospital on Friday.
County leaders in Unicoi initially deployed ambulances but unusually high flooding prevented medics from safely approaching, Ballad Health said.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has been working with local emergency management agencies to deploy boats for hospital evacuations, but water surrounding and entering the building became dangerous and impassable.
Persons:
Regan Tilson, “ We’ve, ”, Patrick Sheehan, Hurricane Helene
Organizations:
Health, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, National Guard, Erwin, TEMA, Virginia State Police, Emergency Management Agency
Locations:
Tennessee, Unicoi, Erwin , Tennessee, Georgia