I-40 Closed By Flooding And Rock Slide: Motorists Rescued

Interstate 40 is currently closed in Cocke County near the North Carolina State Line. Nearly 3″ of rain fell Wednesday afternoon in the area of the Waterville exit. That caused water to race down the mountainsides and onto the interstate. According to the Cocke County Emergency Management Agency, somewhere between 4 to 5 feet of water was across the interstate at one point near MM 450 and 451.

That left traffic at a standstill on the interstate Wednesday evening with traffic backed up for several miles. Motorists were made to exit the interstate at Exit 440. Those stuck on the interstate near the flooding were also faced with not being able to turn around as I-40 is down to one lane in each direction with a barrier in between the two directions of traffic. The Swift Water Rescue Team had to make several rescues of motorists that were trapped. All available first responders were called to the scene to help those stranded on the interstate. More than a dozen rescues had to be made, but all motorists were accounted for and no one was hurt.

County officials and TDOT say I-40 will likely be closed for awhile, as a rock slide also happened near MM 450. Traffic on the eastbound side is made to leave the interstate at Exit 447, the Hartford exit. Westbound traffic is exiting the interstate at Exit 7 in Haywood County, NC. Mark Nagi with TDOT is reminding truck drivers that Newfound Gap Road in hte Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closed to commercial traffic. All traffic on I-40 is being instructed to use the detour of I-81 north to I-26 east.

County officials are warning residents in Hartford that the Pigeon River is elevated in that area and more rain is expected today. So those along the river should be prepared for possible flooding in that area.