Travel chaos has gripped East Tennessee as severe storms wreak havoc in Sevier County, shutting down a slew of roads and leaving commuters scrambling. According to WVLT, alerts were issued for 11 roads affected by the deluge, with Ridge Road at Sevier Solid Waste and others like Waldens Creek Road and Old Valley Road at Goose Gap Road completely flooded, disrupting the day-to-day movement of people and goods through the area.
The onslaught of Mother Nature has resulted in a list of road closures that drivers must navigate, impacting travel plans and causing potential delays, the damage from Wednesday's storms, which also delivered golf ball-sized hail and strong winds, didn't spare the greenery, in Claiborne County a man was tragically killed when a tree crashed down onto a vehicle during the violent weather according to WATE, in the struggle to regain some semblance of normalcy, the Sevier County Emergency Management Agency has indicated that some roads, like Ridge Road, might remain inaccessible for days.
The aftermath of the storm has also led to mudslides and hazardous driving conditions in the region, such as a mudslide on 425 Wiley Oakley Road and high water conditions at River Divide Road near Pigeon Forge City Limits which were reported by NewsTalk 98.7. Despite the storm-battered backdrop, the Pigeon Forge Police Department has offered a glimmer of reassurance with information that access to the Pigeon Forge Primary School remains open via Goose Gap Road.
