Hurricane Helene: Video of 54 people trapped on the roof of a hospital in Tennessee, USA

Hurricane Helene continues to wreak havoc across the United States, leaving a tremendous trail of destruction across Florida and the southeastern United States. The Category 4 hurricane has claimed at least 56 lives so far, with authorities fearing more casualties could be reported in the coming days.

It also snapped towering oak trees like branches and tore apart houses. Rescue teams launched intensive operations to save people's lives from floods.

Amid the treacherous destruction, harrowing footage has emerged of hospital staff and patients stranded on the roof of a flooded hospital during severe flooding. According to ABC News, more than 54 people were trapped on the roof of Unicoi County Hospital in northeast Tennessee. The situation erupted after a nearby river burst its banks.

The report goes on to say that ambulances evacuated several patients immediately, but the flooding was so rapid that ambulances could not get close to the site to evacuate staff.

The National Guard and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) are currently involved in a dangerous rescue operation, said Ballad Health, a healthcare company that operates a hospital chain.

Ballad Health shared in a post and rising water from the Nolichucky River.

“Ballad Health’s chief medical officer for the region was immediately on scene to oversee the evacuation and evacuation of 11 patients began. Unicoi County officials deployed ambulances, but the flooding of the property occurred so quickly that ambulances could not safely reach the hospital,” the post continued.

The post also noted that the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) immediately coordinated with local emergency management authorities to deploy boats to assist in the evacuation. However, water began to enter the hospital interior, creating an extremely dangerous and impassable situation that prevented boats from reaching the hospital.

“Due to strong winds, no helicopters could safely fly to assist in the evacuation of the hospital,” the post continued.