Bruce Wisely lost his daughter and two grandchildren when Hurricane Helene wiped out their western North Carolina home over eight months ago. FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray shares Bruce’s story and how the organization We Must Protect is helping the Helene survivor rebuild.
COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. – A significant stretch of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee-North Carolina state line was closed in both directions Wednesday evening after heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding and a landslide, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
Doppler radar indicated that a locally heavy thunderstorm produced more than an inch of rain in a short period, leading to standing water along the main thoroughfare between Cosby, Tennessee, and Clyde, North Carolina.
Photos shared by TDOT showed a tractor-trailer and several other vehicles stopped in the mud and debris that had overtaken the interstate, rendering the roadway impassable.
Engineers were reported to be en route to assess the situation, but transportation officials warned that the closure could last for an extended period.
No injuries were immediately reported, but officials expressed concern about the risk of additional slides and unstable terrain in the surrounding area.
TREASURED DISCOVERIES SURFACE AS NORTH CAROLINA LAKE IS DRAINED DURING HELENE REVITALIZATION
A nearby portion of I-40 was previously closed for more than four months following severe damage caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
While emergency repairs allowed for the interstate to reopen early in 2025, full restoration is expected to be a multi-year process and not finish before 2028.
Interstate 40 is a vital east-west corridor connecting the mountainous regions of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.
With the latest closure, drivers are now facing significant delays, with detours that may add an hour or more to travel times through the region.
Transportation officials are urging drivers to use I-81 and I-26 as an alternate route until the affected stretch of highway can safely reopen.
I-40 shut down along Tennessee-North Carolina due to flooding, landslide
(TDOT / FOX Weather)
CHIMNEY ROCK, NORTH CAROLINA, RECOVERY SHOWS PROGRESS POST-HELENE
The National Weather Service office in Morristown, Tennessee, issued a Flash Flood Warning for the area after receiving reports of stranded motorists.
The alert has since been rescinded, but forecasters continue to emphasize the dangers of flash flooding during summer thunderstorms.
According to NWS forecasters, just six inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult off their feet, and a foot of floodwater is enough to carry away most vehicles.
Transportation officials are encouraging the public to stay up to date if their travels take them between Knoxville and Asheville.
Map showing I-40 closure and back-up route.
(Google / FOX Weather)
