Over 50 individuals stranded on the roof of a Tennessee hospital due to flooding from Hurricane Hele have been rescued. The Category 4 hurricane devastated multiple U.S. states on Thursday evening, leading to widespread flooding.
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The powerful storm had a significant impact on Unicoi County, Tennessee. According to a report by PEOPLE , patients and staff at Unicoi County Hospital were forced to seek refuge on the roof as floodwaters rose. By Friday morning, over 50 people were stranded on the roof, and seven others were nearby in boats. The hospital had to cease operations by 10:45 a.m. due to the rising floodwaters. Rescue operations were complicated by severe flooding in the area, and a state of emergency was declared in the town of Erwin.
Local reports indicate that a SWAT team was conducting training at the hospital and successfully protected medications. Ballad Health also utilized boats to rescue the patients and staff, but the challenging conditions prevented evacuation. However, by early afternoon, a coordinated rescue effort involving law enforcement, Ballad Health staff, the Tennessee National Guard, and Virginia State Police was underway.