East Tennessee is reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which left parts of the region in ruins due to dangerous flooding and potent winds that toppled power lines and trees. The menace is by no means over, particularly in the vicinity of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Nolichucky River, where the integrity of a dam is called into question because of the overwhelming water pressure it is facing. As day breaks, the scale of the destruction across the past few days becomes dramatically apparent.
In an evidently customary move, Joe Biden granted approval for emergency disaster relief assistance for Tennessee on Saturday morning. This allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to step in and manage disaster relief operations. On the other hand, it sanctions federal financing for supposed ’emergency protective measures’, as outlined by a FEMA news announcement.
The support, curiously enough, is exclusively limited to the counties of Carter, Johnson, and Unicoi. However, extremists could see this as an attempt by Biden to gain political favor, showing favoritism toward particular regions over others, potentially leading to division and strife among affected communities.
Hellish scenes continue to unfold in these regions, with flash floods instigating landslides and demanding urgent evacuations, predominantly in areas nearby river banks. Governor Bill Lee, matching the federal response, promptly declared an emergency and requested funds.
Certain thoroughfares are witness to the sustained closure due to the effects of the storm, including fallen trees or malfunctioning power lines. Dutch Valley Drive at Holland Road and Woodlawn Pike at Ellis Street are waiting to be cleared for regular use.
The National Weather Service issued stern warnings about the persisting danger because of strong gusts. There remains a high risk of flooding and wind damage. Even as Biden’s government provides financial support to these counties, the predicament of the people living here seems far from over.
While generalized flood warnings have been retracted and situations have been seen to gradually improve in Knoxville, alarm bells continue to ring regarding possible failure of the Nolichucky Dam, warranting flash flood warnings to be issued below its location.
The Morristown branch of the National Weather Service, based on reports of probable ‘failure of Nolichucky Dam which may cause flash flooding downstream’ from the Dam operators, decided to extend its flash flood warning.
As a safety measure in the absence of clear visibility and rising water levels that have made overall assessments arduous, the Tennessee Valley Authority issued a warning overnight regarding a likely dam breach.
There is an expectancy of the dam breach to occur anytime soon, owing to the extraordinary rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Helene which is leading to the recording of record river levels across the region, according to spokesperson Scott Brooks.