### Tennessee Bridge Collapses into the Nolichucky River Amid Hurricane Helene Floodwaters

A dramatic display of nature's power was witnessed in East Tennessee on Saturday when the Nolichucky River, swollen with floodwater from Hurricane Helene, caused the collapse of a bridge in the town of Afton. As remnants of the hurricane, which made landfall in Florida's Big Bend on Thursday night as a Category 4 storm, moved through the Southeast, they brought with them torrential rains and dangerous flood conditions.

The heavy rain led to a significant rise in the Nolichucky River, creating a powerful current strong enough to carry trees and debris downstream. One of the most telling impacts of this surge was the destruction of the Kisner Bridge on Highway 107. The floodwater rose high enough to reach and overwhelm the structure, ultimately leading to its collapse.

Eyewitness footage captured by Landon Duckett showed the harrowing moment of the collapse. Duckett can be heard urging a man standing close to the river to get to safety, shouting, "Get Out Of The Way!" Just moments after, the central part of the bridge tumbled into the turbulent waters, followed by the remaining sections, leaving only the parts of the highway that were on solid ground intact.

The intensity of the floodwaters in the Nolichucky River peaked late Saturday morning, even overtopping the Nolichucky Dam south of Afton. The aftermath of the flood and bridge collapse serves as a stark reminder of the destructive potential of severe weather events like Hurricane Helene.