ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A portion of a major interstate that connects western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee was washed out during catastrophic flooding from Helene, with officials unsure when the highway will reopen.
Photos from the scene showed several lanes of Interstate 40 washed out amid the mountainous terrain, with drivers stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation said I-40 was closed in multiple locations between Asheville and eastern Tennessee due to washouts and debris.
No one was reportedly injured in the collapse zone, and transportation officials did not have an estimated restore timeframe.
The agency warned drivers that “all roads in Western North Carolina should be considered closed.”
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The remnants of Hurricane Helene produced hours of damaging wind gusts and flooding rains over the Tar Heel State on Friday.
Observation sites throughout the western part of the state reported between one and two feet of rainfall, causing roadways to washout and towns to be flooded.
In nearby Erwin, Tennessee, floodwaters surrounded a hospital, forcing staff and patients to seek higher ground until being rescued by helicopters.
At least two deaths were reported in the North Carloina as of Friday evening, with officials expecting more as assessments were continuing in the hardest-hit communities.
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Interstate 40 is an important east-west thoroughfare that runs through eight states from Wilmington, North Carolina, to Barstow, California.
According to Google Maps, after the interstate was closed, the best alternative was to use Interstates 81 and 26, which adds an additional 50 miles to a trip.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has yet to publicly comment on resources it could provide to NCDOT officials for repairs of the highway.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said he is receiving regular updates from the states that were the hardest hit.
“We are getting regular updates from state partners about infrastructure damage from Helene and multiple airports affected by conditions,” Buttigieg stated on Friday.
The damage to Interstate 40 appeared similar to a landslide that knocked out State Highway 22 around Jackson, Wyoming, over the summer.
No one was on the highway when it collapsed, but detours lasted for nearly three weeks until emergency repairs could be completed.
Original article source: Interstate 40 partially collapses after catastrophic rains in North Carolina
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