GATLINBURG, Tenn. - A landslide forced the closure of the Gatlinburg Bypass on Saturday after heavy rain triggered flooding across parts of eastern Tennessee, according to the National Park Service.

Staff with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced the nearly 4-mile closure, which loops around the city of Gatlinburg.

"The Gatlinburg Bypass is closed until further notice due to a large landslide that occurred Saturday morning following heavy rainfall," the agency wrote in a weekend update.

Photos from the area showed first responders blocking off the roadway, which was covered in mud and other debris.

A Flash Flood Warning was issued for Sevier County, where National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour, leading to flooding.

The Se

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