Relief begins to flow into communities cut off by Helene

Relief begins to flow into communities cut off by Helene

Tennessee Recovery Effort Underway After Devastating Flooding

Yeah Morgan, it’s still absolutely incredibly tough going for so many across this portion of Northeastern Tennessee. We were in Johnson City, we’ve transitioned to Bristol, Tennessee, and we’re actually inside part of the campus of the famed Bristol Speedway, which has turned into a massive hub fueling this ongoing recovery effort that’s really getting underway this week.

Supply Distribution Hub

If I step out of the way here, you’ll see just some of the supplies that have poured in – pallet upon pallet of bottled water, paper goods, food, snacks, medical gear, and anything and everything these families could need to sustain them for a few more days in these incredibly hard-hit areas. These supplies are then taken by either truck or in some cases, as we found out, helicopter to make those crucial drops.

One Family’s Story

I want you to hear from one woman in particular relying upon these drops to make it from one day to the next. Take a listen:

"It’s amazing that they will come together like that to help this small town, this small community – everybody that’s been impacted by this blood – it’s amazing," says Becky Vines, Morgan. She lives in the town of Elk Mills, Tennessee.

Wiping Out Communities

We were some of the first journalists to witness the damage in Elk Mills because she told us that two bridges had been washed away when the helicopter touched down there. I had a chance to speak with her, and she was tearing up, pointing at where the chopper landed, saying that until last week, that’s where the town’s fire department was. The building, along with a tanker, was carried away by the floodwaters, leaving behind so much devastation.

Tennessee National Guard Efforts

The community is just one of dozens, if not more, that remains cut off as a result of the damage. When you have 30 inches of rain careening into these river valleys and wiping out nearly everything in its path, it’s a sight to behold.

We also spent some time with the Tennessee National Guard, and it was heart-wrenching to see the destruction firsthand. I asked one National Guard member how bad it was in the places they’ve been, and he said, "Our county was essentially cut in half by this storm. For the crews, the men and women with the National Guard, the native Tennesseans who are doing their best to do these non-stop missions, it is incredibly rewarding but also heartbreaking to see the state of where these communities are after this storm."