Mudslide & Flooding Wreak Havoc, Cause Interstate Closure At Tennessee/North Carolina Border [VIDEO]
on Jun 20, 2025
Massive rainfall in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina have forced the closure of part of one of the most traveled interstates in America.
Less than a year after Hurricane Helene brought utter devastation to Tennessee and North Carolina, the region is dealing with flooding once again. Heavy rains caused flooding, mudslides, and rockslides in the area, leaving travelers on I-40 stranded.
Footage and photos shared by motorists show vehicles trapped on the highway by muddy floodwaters. A clip shared to TikTok shows the moment a mudslide breaks free and cascades over the interstate.
@hollyfn12 I-40 East Tennessee 6/18/25.. here we go again #flooding #piegonriver #easttn #rain #interstate40 ♬ Have You Ever Seen The Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival
No detours around the damaged road were available, forcing travelers to backtrack and find an alternate route to their destination.
“Just shocked to us. We didn’t expect it, like no detours. And we got there, and you can’t go there,” motorist Sheila Butler told WSOC-TV.
News outlet WLOS reports that highway officials expect cleanup and repairs to take at least two weeks. Travelers are being told to make alternate plans in the meantime.
Tennessee State Representative Jeremy Faison told media, “The damage is more extensive than my TDOT initially anticipated. Significant impacts have been identified on both the interstate and the ramps. As of this morning, several areas remain under water, and there are potentially compromised slopes. Geotechnical engineers are on-site today to assess the stability of those slopes … TDOT has assured me that this situation is a top priority.”
It is estimated that more than 25,000 vehicles travel I-40 near the Tennessee/North Carolina border every day. That number includes more than 7,500 semi trucks.
Hurricane Helene Recovery
The same stretch of interstate currently shut down was also affected by Hurricane Helene floodwaters in September of 2024.
The Category 4 hurricane brought devastation to the Carolinas and Tennessee, with more than 100 fatalities in North Carolina alone and caused billions of dollars in damage in the region. The raging water wiped out parts of heavily-traveled I-40 and took crews roughly six months to repair. The repairs were expected to be completed much sooner, but more of the road collapsed in December, causing significant delays.
In March, the interstate reopened with a strict 40 mph speed limit and only one lane of traffic open in each direction.
Full interstate reconstruction is expected to take years, but crews hope to have the latest damage repaired enough to allow passage within two weeks.
See more photos of the current situation. (Photos below are courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Transportation via X.)
