Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park in Tennessee hit by flash flooding, leaving 1 injured on Sunday
Torrential rain was reported across Knox and Sevier counties on Sunday, prompting the National Weather Service office in Morristown, Tennessee, to issue a Flash Flood Warning for the area, including Pigeon Forge, where Dollywood is located.
Flash flooding unleashes chaos at Tennessee's Dollywood
At least one person was injured on Sunday when a powerful thunderstorm produced heavy rain that led to flash flooding at Tennessee's Dollywood amusement park.
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. – One person was injured at Tennessee's famous Dollywood amusement park on Sunday after a powerful thunderstorm moved across the area and produced torrential rain that caused flash flooding.
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Watch: Severe weather, flooding hits Tennessee's Dollywood
A video recorded at Dollywood in Tennessee shows a parking lot that was flooded after severe weather and torrential rain hit the Pigeon Forge area on Sunday, July 28, 2024.
Heavy precipitation was reported across Knox and Sevier counties on Sunday, prompting the National Weather Service office in Morristown, Tennessee, to issue a Flash Flood Warning for the area, including Pigeon Forge, where Dollywood is located.
The FOX Forecast Center says 2.5 inches of rain fell in one hour, and 4 inches in total fell across the Pigeon Forge area on Sunday.
Watch: Tennessee's Dollywood hit by powerful thunderstorm, flash flooding
A video shared by a visitor to Dollywood in Tennessee shows park-goers wading through flooded stores and walkways as the theme park in Pigeon Forge is hit by a powerful thunderstorm on Sunday, July 28.
Photos and videos from Dollywood at the time the flash flooding was reported show water covering walkways and parking lots as people, some with strollers, wade through the rushing water to try and get indoors.
Videos also show flooding creeping into several shops within the amusement park.
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Flooding in Dollywood leaves visitors stranded for hours
Bailey and Sophie Elkins were among the Dollywood visitors in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee that had to wait for the water to recede after more than 2 inches of rain caused flash flooding in the park.
Other videos show a Dollywood parking lot surrounded by floodwaters, trapping numerous vehicles inundated by the rising water. People can also be seen trying to get into flooded vehicles.
Bailey and Sophie Elkins were among the Dollywood visitors trapped by the flash flooding. The sisters said they had to wait about 2 hours for the water to recede before leaving the park.
The ponds and creeks throughout the park quickly filled, enhancing the flooding, according to the Elkins sisters.
"When that rain down poured it really heightened the increasing rise of the water in those ponds and what not, so they just overflowed so quick," Bailey Elkins said.
After the flooding, Dollywood officials released a statement saying one minor injury was reported amid the reports of the severe weather and flooding.
"I think the employees handled it with such grace, and they were calm and collected," Sophie Elkins said. "It definitely was a lot of water all at once."
The Elkins said they were able to leave by driving through a service entrance several hours after the flooding started.
"Dollywood is supporting guests whose vehicles were affected by this weather event, and cleanup crews have been deployed," Dollywood said in a statement.
Dollywood is expected to reopen for business on Monday afternoon.
"Park officials will continue to assess conditions and updates will be posted to our social media pages as additional information becomes available," the park said.