COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — Editor's Note: The story originally showed a picture of damage on I-40 that was later called into question by authorities due to the flooding on I-40 preventing crews from physcially verifying it. NCDOT later confirmed the damage seen in the photo was real, but it is unclear who actually took the photo. 10News later obtained video of the damage, which can be seen below.
UPDATE (7 p.m.): Interstate 40 in Western North Carolina is expected to be closed for an unknown amount of time after flooding from Hurricane Helene caused serious damage to the interstate in the Pigeon River Gorge between Tennessee and Asheville.
A representative with the North Carolina Department of Transportation said the closure could be long-term -- lasting days, weeks or longer depending on the severity of the damage.
I-40 was closed between Cocke County, Tennessee and the entirety of Western North Carolina on Friday morning after catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Helene caused mudslides and left debris along the interstate Friday. The Pigeon River that runs along the gorge on I-40 between Cocke County and Asheville flooded over and raged Friday afternoon.
NCDOT confirmed a mudslide at mile marker 3 near the Tennessee state line washed away a portion of the eastbound side on the North Carolina side into the Pigeon River. That part of the interstate is inaccessible, and crews will have to survey the damage from the sky using drones to determine what steps will need to be taken.
NCDOT was unsure how long repairs would take, and as of Friday evening continued to say that people should assume all major roads in Western North Carolina are undrivable due to flooding damage.
Depending on how bad the
Initially, 10News shared a photo of mile marker 3 showing a collapsed section of the road, but the validity of the video was later questioned after it was unclear who actually took the photo. NCDOT later said the viral photo was valid based on what damage they had seen and that it likely was taken today, but said it was still unclear who exactly took the photo.
10News later obtained video below showing the eastbound side partially collapsed from Paiton Lanier:
On the Tennessee side, the Pigeon River rose to 28.85 feet, which was well above the record of 23.4 feet in the Newport area of Cocke County. The French Broad River rose to 21.69 feet as of Friday evening, and the severe flooding prompted TDOT to close I-40 East just before the Newport exit.
Data from the Tennessee Department of Transportation shows almost 30,000 vehicles use that stretch of interstate in both directions every day.