Flooding in Tennessee leaves over 50 people stranded on roof of Ballad Health hospital

Unicoi County Hospital staff and 11 patients were evacuated Friday morning due to “unusually high and rising water from the Nolichucky River,” Ballad Health, which owns the hospital, wrote on social media.

Rapid flooding prevented ambulances from reaching the hospital, so the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is working with local authorities to deploy rescue boats. However, water surrounding the hospital and seeping inside prevented boats from safely leaving the hospital, Ballad said. Even helicopters could not safely evacuate the hospital because of the strong winds.

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At 12:27 p.m., 54 people have been evacuated to the roof and seven are in lifeboats.

“The hospital was inundated by extremely dangerous and fast-moving water. The situation at the hospital is very dangerous and TEMA and National Guard resources are engaged in a rescue operation that can only be described as dangerous,” Ballad wrote. “We ask everyone to pray for the people at Unicoi County Hospital, the first responders on the scene, the military leaders who are actively helping, and our state leaders.”