Gov. Lee, Lawmakers to Assess Damage, Meet With Flood Victims in East Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – State leaders are traveling to East Tennessee to assess the damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene.

Governor Bill Lee and Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty will meet with local Unicoi County officials Tuesday afternoon.

The trio will be joined by Patrick Sheehan, director of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA).

Governor Lee and Senator Blackburn are expected to view the damage from the ground and meet with flood victims.

Six people have died after Helene’s catastrophic flooding, according to the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH).

One in Johnson County
One in Knox County
Three in Unicoi County
One in Washington County

Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis confirmed two people were killed during a news conference Sunday evening, although TDH did not say whether the deaths were storm-related.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said there are currently 102 active missing persons cases:

Carter County: 60
Johnson County: 2
Unicoi County: 10
Washington County: 30

A hotline has been set up to report missing people believed to be in affected areas of East Tennessee.

Water supply and wastewater infrastructure were severely impacted in the affected areas, forcing many areas to be placed under a boil water advisory.

Lee requested an expedited major disaster declaration Monday for Unicoi, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson and Washington counties.

Donation collection centers are being established in the affected counties. Information about these centers can be found on the TEMA website.