Flash Flooding Hits Dolly Parton's Dollywood in Tennessee

https://icaro.icaromediagroup.com/system/images/photos/16307087/original/open-uri20240730-56-votzsk?1722363576
ICARO Media Group
News
30/07/2024 18h18

Strong thunderstorms swept through Dolly Parton's Dollywood amusement park in east Tennessee, causing flash flooding on Sunday. The intense rainfall led to workers, along with the Pigeon Forge police and fire departments, urgently directing guests to safety. Fortunately, amidst the chaos, only one minor injury was reported.

According to Dollywood officials, the floodwaters resulted in some vehicles being affected, prompting the deployment of cleanup crews to restore order. Meanwhile, a road collapse at the park's entrance on McCarter Hollow Road forced a temporary closure. Despite the challenges faced, Dollywood announced it would reopen on Monday at noon, with its unaffected Splash Country park operating as usual.

One visitor, JeMiale McKinney from Knoxville, shared his experience of being trapped in the parking lot due to rising floodwaters. McKinney highlighted the calm demeanor of the stranded guests, noting the swift action taken by crews to facilitate their safe exit.

Approximately 5 inches of rain deluged the area within an hour, causing strain on both the park and city infrastructure. Dollywood spokesperson Wes Ramey commended the response efforts, emphasizing the minimal injury as a testament to the effective communication between hosts and guests during the crisis. Ramey assured that a thorough evaluation would be conducted to determine if any adjustments were necessary moving forward.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

Related