COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — UPDATE (5:00 p.m.): Interstate 40 was closed between Cocke County, Tennessee and the entirety of Western North Carolina after catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Helene caused mudslides along the interstate Friday, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
The Pigeon River that runs along the gorge on I-40 between Cocke County and Asheville flooded over and raged Friday afternoon. NCDOT reported a mudslide at mile marker 3 on the North Carolina side at the Tennessee state line.
Initially, 10News shared a photo of mile marker 3 showing a collapsed section of the road. However, the National Weather Service and other DOT authorities later questioned the validity of the photo, saying the only damage that had been reported were mudslides and water-covered roads. There may have been a partial collapse as the photo showed, but NCDOT has yet to confirm this.
North Carolina officials said people should expect all major roads in the western side of the state to remain closed until flooding recedes and repairs can be made.
On the Tennessee side, the Pigeon River has risen more than 10 feet up to the bridges and is expected to crest Friday evening. Data from the Tennessee Department of Transportation shows almost 30,000 vehicles use that stretch of interstate in both directions every day.
