COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — Residents in Cocke County are seeking shelter as large parts of the community remain under feet of water. The Newport Community Center has turned into a shelter for folks who have been displaced by the floods.
Molly Ealy works for Newport Parks and Recreation and said the shelter has drawn people from all over.
"It's been absolutely amazing to see how people have come together," she said. "We've had people from all over east Tennessee."
But those people have dealt with hardship, she explained.
"We have people here that went to work yesterday and then weren't able to get home," she said. "We've had folks coming in with children and babies. We've had elderly folks coming in with no medications, folks that have been rescued from their homes by helicopter. People that have been left with absolutely nothing."
Heather Kellogg went to the shelter with her husband and two young children. They don't know if their home is still standing, she said.
But she said the support from the shelter has helped.
"They pulled this together really quickly, and it's nice to be able to have somewhere to go when I'm not sure what my home looks like."
The tight-knit community of Newport has banded together, she said.
"It's really nice to be in a small community like this where people pull together and help one another."
Many parts of Cocke County don't have power or water. There is also a boil advisory for the county, so even if you have water, it's likely not safe to drink.
Volunteers and officials will continue to hand out water at 611 W Broadway Street in Newport on Sunday, starting at about 8 a.m.
