Patients and staff were stranded in a flooded hospital in Tennessee

More than 50 people were stranded in an eastern Tennessee hospital Friday because of rapidly rising water and strong winds after multiple attempts to airlift them failed during a dangerous rescue operation, Ballad Health officials said.

The strong winds and water levels prevented helicopter crews from transporting patients and staff from Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee, hospital officials said.

Some people were waiting on the roof of the hospital to be rescued.

“The situation at the hospital is very dangerous,” Ballad Health said on

As of Friday afternoon, 54 people had been taken to the roof of the facility and seven were in rescue boats, said Ballad Health, operator of Unicoi County Hospital.

“We have been working to free these people,” TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan said in a Zoom call. He added that Virginia State Police had landed a plane on the roof as the evacuation was about to begin and that three National Guard helicopters were on the way.

The rescue mission comes as Hurricane Helene made landfall in Georgia, leaving widespread devastation across the southern United States. More than 30 people are confirmed dead and millions are without power and power.

The Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency notified Ballad Health early Friday of the need for an evacuation due to rising water from the Nolichucky River, the post said.

County leaders in Unicoi initially deployed ambulances, but unusually high flooding prevented paramedics from approaching safely, Ballad Health said.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency worked with local emergency management agencies to deploy boats to evacuate hospitals, but water surrounding and entering the building became dangerous and impassable.