Numerous patients and healthcare personnel trapped on the rooftop of a hospital in Eastern Tennessee were airlifted by rescue helicopters and boats as flooding posed an imminent threat to the building.

The emergency operation at Unicoi County Hospital in Erwin, Tennessee, took place on Friday evening, following an urgent request from Ballad Health on X, calling for an evacuation due to escalating floodwaters from Tropical Storm Helene.

Due to heavy rain and strong winds from the storm, ambulances, boats, and even helicopters could not reach the hospital, making immediate rescue efforts impossible for several hours, according to Ballad.

By approximately 5 p.m., all 54 individuals stranded on the hospital roof had been rescued, with those requiring medical attention transported to Johnson City Medical Center.

Unicoi County Hospital will remain closed until further notice. Ballad Health plans to assess the damage once the floodwaters recede and will provide updates at that time, as stated in their announcement.

This rescue effort began approximately eight hours after the Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency alerted Ballad about the rising water levels near the Nolichucky River, close to the North Carolina border.

“The hospital has been surrounded by extremely dangerous and swiftly moving water,” stated the hospital system. A “perilous rescue operation” was in progress, according to Ballad Health.

According to Ballad Health, around 12:30 p.m., 54 people were on the roof while seven were in rescue boats. Three hours later, first responders and the Tennessee National Guard were still striving to “evacuate all remaining individuals.”

The health system’s website reported that Unicoi County Hospital, located in eastern Tennessee, is closed “due to severe weather,” along with several clinics. Other facilities may be operating on adjusted schedules, and patients and visitors are advised to call ahead before arriving, although emergency rooms will remain operational.

Local TV stations WJHL and WCYB reported that access roads to the hospital were unmanageable because of flood damage in the region.

As the remnants of Tropical Storm Helene brought heavy rain to the Southeastern U.S. on Friday, Erwin, Tennessee, was placed under a flood warning, high wind warning, and flash flood alert, as noted by the National Weather Service.

(This story has been updated with new details,  and a correction for a spelling error.)