This past Friday night a massive landslide took out the backside of one home and caused minor damage to three other homes on Rich Cove Road in Maggie Valley, which is located just south of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Geologists said the mud moved down the mountain side at 20 to 30 miles per hour!
Rick Wooten of the North Carolina Geological Survey said the mudslide - which is also known as a debris flow - was 3,000 feet long, 90 feet wide and created a wave of mud about 30 feet high!
Now, with more bad weather predicted, homeowners are bracing for a possible round two.
Wooten said Friday’s mudslide was mostly liquid. He also said that there are between 10,000 and 16,000 tons of potentially unstable materials still on the mountain.
The mudslide isolated 12 homes that are occupied by year-round residents. Several other seasonal homes were impacted as well. 40 residents of Rich Cove Road are still waiting to get back in their homes.
This link will take you to the video of the press conference that was held today.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.
Hiking Tours