NEWPORT – Waters from the French Broad River inundated Newport resident Betty Webber’s home from two directions during Tropical Storm Helene, destroying her home and outbuildings and forcing her to move, home and all, to a higher elevation.

Clinch-Powell RC&D was there to assist Webber in her time of need.

According to Webber, the massive flow of water caused the river to back up from downstream into the neighborhood she lives in, while the ever-increasing volume of flow began inundating the area from upstream of her home as well.

The area in which Webber lives is usually quiet and peaceful, but the torrential rainfall from Tropical Storm Helene swelled the French Broad and other area rivers to staggering elevations, wreaking havoc in nearby areas. The French Broad rose to 23.34 feet, just shy of its all-time record of 24 feet set in 1867. The deluge devastated nearby structures and left many people homeless in a matter of hours.

Webber said she was able to gather her pets and get out before the water rose too high to escape. They were safe from the flood, but she said it took a while before she was able to get back to her home to observe the destruction.

“Once it got down so low, we could kind of wade through and see what kind of damage was done – and it really did all the damage it could have done,” she said.

When Webber returned she found the floodwaters had destroyed her home, a large barn shed and other outbuildings located on her property. Her front porch furniture had washed off the porch and was found some distance away on another part of her property. Wood was found piled on top of a gazebo some distance away in her yard.

“It took everything in the home. It took all my sheds. I had the big barn shed and other sheds and it took all of those,” she said.

The water level didn’t quite reach the ceiling, but had risen above the door frames inside her home. All of Webber’s belongings were destroyed, and her entire house, with the exception of the ceiling and roof, had to be gutted and rebuilt.

In addition to the destruction of her home, once remapping of the area was completed her home was designated as within a Special Flood Hazard Area. Webber learned her home had to be moved and elevated in order to escape the flood zone.

Clinch-Powell RC&D was able to assist Webber with moving her house further from the river to a higher section of her property, and setting the house up at a higher elevation. While the move has given her a modicum of comfort, she still doesn’t trust the river to remain in its place.

“You kind of get leery of the river now being as it did that. You’ve kinda got to keep an eye on it when it rains hard,” she said.

Many of the homes in Webber’s neighborhood were flooded when the river rose. Webber was displaced while her home was gutted and reconstructed, but said she was fortunate in that someone donated a camper for her to use on her property while construction was underway.

The destruction of her home and personal property was the second tragedy to befall Webber in two years’ time. Her husband died in 2023, only a year before the devastation left by Helene.

“That first one was rougher though, losing my husband,” she said. “We were married for 48 years.”

While almost all of the memorabilia Webber had of the life she and her husband had built were lost in the flood, she said before fleeing her home she managed to save some photos of him, as well as his ashes.

Today, Webber’s home is re-established in its new location outside of the flood zone. She is settling in and getting used to her new view. She’s been busy replacing her possessions and decorating her home. She said she has been frugal, and has purchased almost all of the items to refurnish her home through Marketplace and yard sales.

Webber said, “I really appreciate all the help that I have received in getting my house back to livable condition. It has been a blessing.”

Clinch-Powell has a variety of programs to help homeowners repair their homes, from energy efficiency improvements to structural repairs and accessibility updates. Call Clinch-Powell at 423-720-1956 to learn more.