Helene leaves devastation in western NC: flooding, mudslides and power outages

Saturday, September 28, 2024 1:15PM

Helene leaves devastation in west NC; thousands without power

Debris, mud and more are all over the roads Saturday morning, and many remain without power.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Cleanup is underway Saturday morning in the western part of North Carolina.

Over a foot of rain fell across much of the region in the past several days, setting the stage for an unfolding disaster as Helene moved through as a tropical storm Friday morning. There was severe flooding and mudslides.

"This is the most significant natural disaster that any one of us has ever seen in western North Carolina," Ryan Cole, Buncombe County assistant emergency services director, said.

WATCH | See the aftermath of Helene in Asheville

Debris and mud are all over the roads with damaged structures on either side.

Many roads and highways remain closed Saturday morning.

In Asheville, over 100,000 people remain without power on Saturday mornings, according to the Duke Energy power outage map.

ABC11 crews said debris and mus are all over the roads with damaged structures are either side.

On Friday, crews conducted over 100 swift-water rescues, about half of them around Asheville. People were emotional after being reunited with their loved ones.

WATCH | 'Terrible' Helene leaves western NC with major flooding, all roads declared closed

In downtown Asheville, multiple trees were downed and numerous buildings were damaged.

Washed-out roads prevented first responders from making it to some calls, according to Cole. That included a mudslide that involved four homes and left an undetermined number of people unaccounted for.

Three deaths in NC have been blamed on the storm. 43 people nationwide were confirmed dead from Helene's effects.

The storm, now a post-tropical cyclone, is expected to hover over the Tennessee Valley into the weekend, the National Storm Center said. Several flood and flash flood warnings remain in effect in parts of the south and central Appalachians. High wind warnings are also issued in parts of Tennessee and Ohio.