A section of State Route 116 is closed Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in north Anderson County due to a landslide after heavy rains on Wednesday, Feb. 6. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Transportation)
Note: This story was updated at 12 p.m. Feb. 8.
A section of State Route 116 was closed Thursday morning in north Anderson County after a landslide following heavy rains on Wednesday, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The hillside alongside and beneath the road gave way, and part of the road collapsed.
TDOT spokesperson Mark Nagi said there is no timeline for how long the road might be closed, but it will be a long-term closure.
On Friday, WYSH Radio in Clinton reported that one lane of the road was open.
SR 116 (New River Highway) is in the mountains in north Anderson County. It starts at Frost Bottom Road/Briceville Highway northeast of Oliver Springs, runs northwest to the Rosedale/New River area and then southwest to Petros.
The heavy rains on Wednesday caused flooding on a number of roads across Anderson County, and a landslide was reported by Clinton High School.
Anderson County Schools are closed Thursday and Friday due to the flooding and because of an increase in the number of illnesses, said Tim Parrott, director of the school system.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
A landslide near Clinton High School on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019. (Photo by Matt Hagen)
State Route 116 is closed Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in north Anderson County due to a slide after heavy rains on Wednesday, Feb. 6. (Photo courtesy Tennessee Department of Transportation)
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