Watch patients get rescued from severe Hurricane Helene flooding on Tennessee hospital roof

Patients and their caregivers sought shelter Friday on a Tennessee hospital's roof after flooding caused by Hurricane Helene drove them from the building's interior and conditions made rescue efforts difficult.

The dramatic scene at Unicoi County Hospital near the North Carolina border was one of several that played out across the southern U.S. in Helene's wake, as flooding caused by its storm surge and rain sent thousands of police officers, firefighters, National Guard members and others on rescue missions. Hundreds were saved, but at least 30 died.

Unicoi County Hospital tried to evacuate 11 patients and 43 others Friday morning after the Nolichucky River overflowed its banks and flooded the facility, but the water was too treacherous for boats sent by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. The decision was made to take everyone to the roof.

After other helicopters failed to reach the hospital because of the storm's winds, a Virginia State Police helicopter was able to land on the roof. Three National Guard helicopters with hoist capabilities were on the way, officials said.

[libbywish]

Thank you all first responders, Good Samaritans, and media who put themselves in harms way to help and rescue all those in need and to keep everyone up to date on what’s happening when and where. Thank you for all the evacuation order updates. Please all of you be safe 🙏❤️

[mommykitty]

Very thankful that these folks are being rescued! Thank you to Virginia State Police and our Military!!

[jimthompson]

Imagine you are in Tennessee and you read about a hurricane in Florida. Would you next thought progression be that your local hospital is about to be flooded? Amazing!!

[luckyisme]

They only saved the workers is all you have time for.

[jeffhaynes]

God bless all of them and thank the men and women that are saving them ty lord God bless everyone amen 🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕

[pisiciculapte]

Rest in peace all the people that died in this natural disaster

[starseyes]

GOD IS THE FINAL JUDGE. TENNESSEE REPENT OF YOUR HATE AND SIN. JUSTICE FOR LISA EDWARDS AND INMATES THAT ARE TREATED UNFAIRLY BASED ON RACE. REPEATING TO SEND PEOPLE BACK AND ALL THESE HATEFUL HEARTS, REPENT EVIL DOERS NOW CAUSE GOD IS THE FINAL JUDGE

[mdeluco]

Thats a hospital? I seen bigger 7-11's