The remnants of Tropical Storm Helene, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, swept through North Carolina overnight, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. The storm’s impact was felt across the state, leaving widespread damage and widespread power outages.
As Friday dawned, many residents woke to find themselves in the dark. While Duke Energy has announced restoration times for some areas, the full extent of the power outages is still unknown. Over 1 million customers in North and South Carolina are currently without power, with Buncombe County bearing the brunt of the outages.
Cell service and internet access have been heavily impacted, causing disruptions to communication and daily life. The Asheville Regional Airport remains open, but airlines have cancelled flights due to operational difficulties caused by power outages and staff inability to reach work.
The rivers in Buncombe County are at “major flood status,” a stark reminder of the storm’s power. Over 130 water rescue missions have been conducted, and officials are urging citizens to stay away from flooded areas due to downed power lines, sewage, and debris.
Emergency shelters have been set up to accommodate those displaced by the storm. The WNC Agriculture Center is currently housing 400 people, with limited capacity. An additional shelter at A-B Technical Community College is set to open as soon as road conditions allow.
The French Broad River reached record heights during the evening of September 27th, nearly reaching 25 feet. It is expected to crest at 8 p.m. tonight. Officials are calling this the worst natural disaster in recent history for Western North Carolina.
Social media is awash with images and videos capturing the devastation caused by Helene, showing homes flooded, rivers overflowing, and people desperately trying to navigate the aftermath. The Buncombe County Fire Department is overwhelmed with calls, with over 200 firefighters deployed for rescue efforts. City and county officials are encouraging people to text 911 if phone calls are not going through.
The storm’s impact continues to be felt, with over 100,000 people still without power, and over 300 trees blocking roadways. A third emergency shelter is being set up at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s conference center.
Several areas are under mandatory evacuation due to flooding, including parts of Transylvania, Buncombe, McDowell, and Mecklenburg Counties. Wireless services like Verizon and Spectrum are experiencing outages across Western North Carolina, with Verizon crews working around the clock to restore service.
The seriousness of the situation has prompted the National Guard and a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team to deploy to Asheville. City emergency responders are working tirelessly to provide life-saving assistance.
The impact of Helene will be felt for days to come, with rising rivers, downed power lines, and damaged homes. Officials warn that it could take a full day before crews can clear debris. The situation is dire, and officials urge residents to avoid travel due to flooded roads, downed trees, and potential landslides. All lanes of I-40 and I-26 are currently closed in various locations.
