Western North Carolina grapples with aftermath of Hurricane Helene

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper addressed the media on Thursday, expressing gratitude to Appalachian State University for opening its Coliseum as a shelter for those affected by recent storms in western North Carolina.

Cooper emphasized that the university is working hard to keep its students safe and pledged support for families impacted by the disaster. The university will not resume classes until at least the end of fall break on Oct. 16.

The governor visited the devastated areas in Abraham County and acknowledged the significant response efforts by his administration and federal agencies.

"We've surged hundreds of thousands of pounds of food and water into these communities, and our teams are on the ground providing search and rescue efforts," Cooper said. He urged anyone aware of those needing help to notify officials immediately.

When asked about infrastructure damage, Cooper described "complete devastation" to roads, bridges, and water systems.

"Our focus right now is on restoring primary arteries for supplies, medical aid, and utility crews," he said, noting that billions of dollars will be required to fully rebuild the region's infrastructure. "We need to rebuild in a more resilient way, understanding that this kind of destruction is now a real possibility."

Cooper said the death toll in North Carolina stands at 60, which he said is expected to rise. One of the most pressing issues remains I-40, which is closed due to landslides.

"Fixing this will be a significant expense," he said.

Mike Fox, Chair of the State Board of Transportation, provided updates on other roads, confirming that I-26 is open in North Carolina but remains closed in Tennessee. Relief efforts are underway, but Cooper stressed that recovery will be a long-term process.

"We know people will need assistance for a while, especially with power and water systems down," he said, adding that over 1,000 National Guard troops and 32 aircraft are delivering supplies daily.

Sheriffs from Orange County and Chatham County checked in with sheriffs in western North Carolina to make sure they were getting the help they need responding to Helene damage.

Sheriff Charles Blackwood of Orange County sat down with ABC11 to talk about that trip. He said it didn't take long to see the devastation.

The trip was a chance for local law enforcement to offer assistance to areas hard hit by the storm.

"Itt was obvious that the river or the creek ... that we were crossing, which was not large, had been about eight or nine feet above that level," Blackwood said. "The impact of the devastation, although we were in an elevated area of the city, was noticed and once we got to the sheriff's office and talked to some of the personnel there, we heard horror stories about what had gone on and saw a lot of pictures.

Blackwood said one sheriff in the region said he wasn't sure what they needed because they're still trying to assess all the damage and what needs to be done.

"It was it was heartbreaking to think that those folks were having to go through that," Blackwood said.

Blackwood also talked about how first responders in the area were understandably worn out. They have been working around-the-clock, often without power, to help the community. Those groups are now stretched thin and running on fumes.

Blackwood expects it will take a while before things get back to normal in western North Carolina.

"This is not going to be a sprint. This is going to be a marathon, a long marathon, a triple marathon. And I see this recovery (as) years rather than months looking at the damage to infrastructure, highways, gas lines, power lines, cell towers," he said. "From our standpoint, it's just complete devastation and we don't know where to start."

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Katie Button's popular Asheville restaurants Cúrate and La Bodega were thriving before Helene pounded through the Carolinas.

Now, she said it could take up to a month before both even have access to running water.

Over 190 people are dead across six states, making Helene the second-deadliest hurricane to hit the county mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The historic storm pummeled homes and communities. Chimney Rock has been washed away, as have roads and bridges throughout the storm's path.

As the community navigates through the devastation, Button told CNN she is focused on doing what she can to help those in dire need.

Her restaurants teamed up with chef José Andrés' World Central Kitchen to deliver meals and water to those who have been cut off in the aftermath of the storm.

She said she estimates they will have prepared

She estimates they should have prepared 3,000 meals for residents in Asheville and the surrounding community by the end of Wednesday.

"We're able to do it because World Central Kitchen is trucking water in for us to be able to use," Button said.

"We will do at least 1,000 meals a day. And then they helicopter those meals to people who are completely cut off from road access. There's so many challenges."

CNN's Steve Almasy contributed to this report.

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. -- Sarah Vekasi is a potter who runs a store in Black Mountain, North Carolina, called Sarah Sunshine Pottery, named after her normally bubbly personality. But these days she's struggling with the trauma of Hurricane Helene and uncertainty about the future of her business.

"All I can say is that I'm alive. I'm not doing great. I'm not doing good. But I'm extremely grateful to be alive, especially when so many are not," Vekasi said.

One thing that makes her feel a little better is the fellowship of the daily town meeting at the square.

"It's incredible being able to meet in person," said Vekasi, who was cut off by impassible roads for days. At Wednesday's session more than 150 people gathered as local leaders stood atop a picnic table shouting updates.

In the midst of the devastating destruction left by the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina, human connections are giving the survivors hope in western North Carolina. While government cargo planes brought food and water into the hardest-hit areas and rescue crews waded through creeks searching for survivors, those who made it through the storm, whose death toll has topped 180, were leaning on one another.

Martha Sullivan, also at the town meeting, was taking careful notes so she could share the information - roads reopened, progress in getting power restored, work on trying to get water flowing again - with others.

Sullivan, who has lived in Black Mountain for 43 years, said her children invited her to come to Charlotte after the storm, but she wants to stay in her community and look after her neighbors.

"I'm going to stay as long as I feel like I'm being useful," Sullivan said.