TVA releases economic storm data from Hurricane Helene

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) —  More than a month has past since Hurricane Helene swept through Western Carolinas and Northeast Tennessee.

It was reported well over 220 people were killed because of the storm.

TVA’s Potential Hurricane Damage cost chart / TVA & River Forecast Center

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is reflecting on the performance of their infrastructure during the historic floods.

They say over 400 million dollars of damage was averted downstream of the heaviest affected areas.

Half of that economic devastation they say would’ve been in Chattanooga.

“This was some of the highest flood levels we’ve seen in the Tennessee Valley in its entire history.  We saw a record amount of flooding and we saw tremendous amounts of rainfall that caused that flooding.  TVA’s dams and the people who manage these dams stepped up to that challenge and managed this record setting event,” said TVA’s General Manager of River Management, James Everett.