A mudslide from Hurricane Helene flooding resulted in a partial collapse of the highway, a major thoroughfare through the Southern Appalachians.

Hurricane Helene caused a partial collapse of I-40 in Tennessee and North Carolina, prompting road closures and a state of emergency.

A mudslide on the North Carolina side resulted in a partial collapse of the I-40, NCDOT spokesperson Kelse Edwards said.

"The main focus is reconnecting severed communities. As water levels fall, we will possibly find more issues that we need to address in terms of road/bridge damage," Nagi said Sept. 30. "We are also working to get roads/bridges open across the region as soon as possible,