Unicoi County Floods: The Day After

After last nights flooding in Unicoi County, residents there took time to clean-up, and reflect on last nights deluge.

At least 50 people were evacuated during the flooding. Some of them were from Pates Trailer Park near the Flag Pond community.  I spoke with Ted Shelton and Jason Herman, both men were at a hotel in nearby Erwin where they spent the night after being evacuated.  Neither feel that a great amount of damage was done to their homes, but they are anxious to get home and inspect the damage.

Just up the road from the trailer park is where its owner Bill Pate lives. Pate, along with several family members spent today cleaning out water and mud from their flooded basement.  Pate also had a garage flooded in addition to his house. He estimates that the house had about six inches of water in it, while the garage had about four feet.

On Spivey Creek, Sandy Riddle is looking after her brothers home while he is away on business. She heard on a scanner last night about the flooding, and came to check on her brother’s place.  She said when she got there the water was about 12 to 15 feet out of its banks at the back of the house.  The flood left about an inch of mud caked on the floor of her brothers workshop attached to the house.

Right now residents in this small community are looking to the skies… hoping and praying for no more rain…at least for a little while.