Officials said the Nolichucky River is believed to have swelled about 30 feet, which caused widespread destruction of property and structures.

"We do expect this number to change," spokesperson Myron Hughes of the Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency said Sunday.

At least 47 deaths were reported by early Saturday, and officials feared more bodies would be found across several states. Downgraded late on Friday to a post-tropical cyclone, the remnants of Helene continued to produce heavy rains across several states,

Sgt. Josh Ollis said he'll always remember the caskets from nearby graveyards washing by as he attempted to calm frightened patients in Unicoi County.

All patients and personnel who were stranded at Unicoi County Hospital amid historic flooding have been rescued, according to Ballad Health. Ballad announced that as of 4:40 p.m., everyone had been successfully evacuated from the hospital.

Patients and staff at Unicoi County Hospital are trapped on the roof Friday due to flooding caused by Tropical Storm Helene.

All YMCA of East Tennessee locations will be accepting donations in the coming days to be delivered to Unicoi County, one of the areas of Tennessee hit hardest by the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. All locations will be collecting donations of water,

The Nolichucky River overflows near the Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee after heavy rain from Tropical Storm Helene Friday, Sept. 27, 2024.

United States - In a dramatic escalation of the flood-induced chaos sweeping through East Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has confirmed the structural compromise and subsequent closure of the SR 353 bridge over the Nolichucky River.