Dozens stranded on Tennessee hospital roof amid flooding; "dangerous" rescue underway
CBSN
A risky rescue operation is underway to evacuate over 50 people stranded by fast-moving flood waters on the roof of a hospital in Erwin, in eastern Tennessee, as the remnants of Hurricane Helene bring torrential rains to the state, hospital administrators and officials said Friday.
"The hospital has been engulfed by extremely dangerous and rapidly moving water. The situation at the hospital is very dangerous and TEMA and National Guard resources are engaged in what can only be described as a dangerous rescue operation," the hospital chain Ballad Health said in a statement.
Ballad Health received word Friday morning that Unicoi County Hospital needed to be evacuated immediately due to "unusually high and rising water" from the Nolichucky River in the eastern part of the state.
