NEWPORT, Tenn. (WATE) — The City of Newport TN remains submerged after the Pigeon River overflowed its banks on Friday. As evening descended, alarms from local businesses continued to echo through the air, while downtown became a veritable deluge. Residents are reeling from the unprecedented devastation.
“I’ve never witnessed anything of this magnitude. Even my mother and grandmother, both in their sixties and seventies, have never seen it like this,” remarked Newport resident Shannon Stewart. “I spoke to numerous individuals earlier at Rankin Bridge; there were at least 15 propane tanks and a complete portable building floating down the river.”
As floodwaters swiftly engulfed the downtown area, critical decisions regarding evacuations were imperative.
“Downtown Newport is entirely submerged,” stated Cocke County Sheriff C.J. Ball. “We executed a full evacuation of the Cocke County Jail Annex, the former jail, and the courthouse. The downtown area was cleared promptly. We managed to transfer all inmates to facilities in Sevier County and Jefferson County.”
Stewart emphasized the long-term repercussions of such calamity. “You never expect this in a small town. It’s Newport; we’ve experienced floods before, but this is unprecedented. This is catastrophic. It will set them back significantly.”
Agencies from various counties have mobilized to provide assistance to the Newport area. Sheriff Ball expressed his gratitude for the support.
“We cannot express enough appreciation. The resources pouring in, especially from Unicoi County, which has also been heavily impacted, are invaluable,” Sheriff Ball noted. “Law enforcement from across East Tennessee, reaching as far as Nashville, along with Hamilton County and Chattanooga, have extended their support. The outpouring of help is astounding, but our primary concern is the individuals in need of rescue, and we are working tirelessly to reach them.”
The scenes unfolding in Newport TN and throughout Cocke County reflect the grim aftermath of the flooding. By 7:00 p.m., Sheriff Ball reported that approximately 50 rescue attempts had been initiated, revealing a stark reality: a total of nine vehicles have been swept away by the floodwaters, including seven Sheriff’s cruisers, one fire truck, and one rescue squad vehicle.