On September 27, 2024, flood damage from Hurricane Helene devastated Northeast Tennessee and Western North Carolina. On September 30, 2024, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee declared the state a disaster and requested federal support. U.S. President Joe Biden declared the area a federal disaster on October 2, 2024. Washington County was one of six counties in Tennessee impacted by the flood. In response to the disaster, the Washington County Long Term Recovery Group was formed in November 2024 to help coordinate recovery, distribute resources, and provide critical information to residents of Washington County, Tennessee.
Washington County faced $44.6 million in estimated residential structure damage, including more than 200 homes, and saw 472 vehicles impacted. Roads were washed away, leaving behind more than 1,000,000 cubic yards of debris in Washington County alone.
Use the 2025 September Fact Sheet published by the group to understand the challenge of the disaster, the organization of the group, and the progress Washington County has made in its recovery since the disaster.