In my last report on the storm formerly known as Hurricane Helene, I noted that a “conveyor belt effect” had brought the storm up through the American Southeast, and places that don’t usually experience such torrential rains and high winds were getting slammed.
The still powerful remnants of the hurricane are now heading up to the nation’s heartland.
Hurricane Helene killed at least 57 people across multiple states and left more than 3 million customers without power from Florida to Ohio as it continued to wreak havoc across the Southeast.The storm crashed ashore in Florida’s Big Bend area on Thursday night as a dangerous Category 4 storm. Despite weakening to a post-tropical cyclone, Helene was still causing “catastrophic, historic” flooding in the southern Appalachians late Friday night, the National Hurricane Center said.Helene was expected to hover over the Tennessee Valley on Saturday and Sunday, the hurricane center said. High wind warnings also covered parts of Tennessee and Ohio.
The mountain city of Ashville, North Carolina, was particularly hard hit.
Floodwaters pushed by the remnants of Hurricane Helene left North Carolina’s largest mountain city isolated Saturday by damaged roads and a lack of power and cellphone service, part of a swath of destruction across southern Appalachia that left an unknown number dead and countless worried relatives unable to reach loved ones.The storm spread misery across western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, where on Friday authorities used a helicopter to rescue dozens of people from the rooftop of a flooded hospital. In North Carolina alone, more than 400 roads remained closed on Saturday as floodwaters began to recede and reveal the extent of damage.North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said supplies were being airlifted to that part of the state, and Buncombe County officials said Interstate 26 between Asheville and South Carolina had reopened but most other routes into the city were impassible.
Homes were seen FLOATING AWAY because of Flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina.#HurricaneHelene #Ashville pic.twitter.com/6gF36nxL5S
— david 🛡️ (@davidmjrobbins) September 28, 2024
More than 3 million people in the region are without power, and warnings are being issued about downed powerlines.
“All roads in Western NC should be considered closed,” its post on X reads. Multiple sections of Interstates 40 and 26, main thoroughfares for traveling into and out of Asheville, remain closed Saturday either due to flooding or landslides, according to the state Department of Transportation.Since Thursday, Buncombe County has received over 5,500 911 calls and conducted more than 130 swiftwater rescues. Officials warned residents to stay away from the water because of downed power lines, sewage contamination and debris. An emergency shelter is currently serving 400 people at the WNC Agricultural Center near Asheville Regional Airport.The local airport said its operations are “cancelled for the remainder of the day,” and thanked residents for their patience, during the “unprecedented natural disaster.” A curfew remains in effect in Asheville from 7:30 p.m. Saturday to 7:30 a.m. Sunday and will be extended past Sunday, officials said.
Americans far from the coast are shocked about the amount of destruction the storm has caused across the Southeast.
U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger expressed disbelief at the extent of the damage.“It’s something like we’ve never seen in this part of the state. Who would have thought a hurricane would do this much damage in East Tennessee?”In Greene County, Tennessee, the threat from a stressed dam had passed by Saturday afternoon. The Tennessee Valley Authority, which had warned residents overnight that the Nolichucky Dam could breach, said a thorough review determined it was “stable and secure.” It was one of several being closely monitored.Along the Pigeon River, the small Tennessee city of Newport suffered heavy flooding.Kendale Ball, who opened his Simpl Cafe in June after relocating from Knoxville, said the water reached nearly thigh-high.“We never anticipated it to be this devastating,” he said of the storm.
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