ASHEVILLE, N.C. − Late Sunday, over 2 million individuals were still without electricity across the Southeast due to Hurricane Helene, which has left more than 430,000 in North Carolina without power. The storm wreaked havoc on homes, trapped residents, triggered landslides, and submerged towns under aggressive floodwaters.

Since Helene struck Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph on Thursday and proceeded through Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas before weakening into a post-tropical cyclone, the confirmed death toll has reached at least 90. This number is likely to increase.

North Carolina officials were working to understand the full extent of the destruction on Sunday. Gov. Roy Cooper announced in a press conference that at least 11 fatalities have been reported in the state, and “tragically, we expect that number to grow.”

Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder noted that over 1,000 individuals were logged as missing via the county’s online portal. However, she anticipated this figure would significantly decrease when cell service is restored. Rescue teams are still engaged in efforts to “save every single person we can” from the hardest-hit areas, Pinder commented.

Numerous roads have been washed out, over 250,000 people have lost cellular service, and many regions, including Asheville, are underwater. According to Cooper, Helene is now labeled as “one of the worst storms in modern history for parts of North Carolina.”

Earlier reports indicated that over 200 individuals had been rescued in the state via water and helicopter teams.

Ryan Cole, the assistant director of Buncombe County Emergency Services, described the devastation as staggering. “We are witnessing biblical devastation throughout the county. The flooding has been catastrophic,” Cole expressed.

Fatalities Reported in Eastern Tennessee Amid Ongoing Flooding

In eastern Tennessee, officials confirmed two deaths as a result of the storm on Sunday—one in Unicoi County and another in Johnson County.

“We anticipate this number will change,” said Myron Hughes from the Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency during a 5 p.m. briefing. On Sunday afternoon, Tennessee officials reported that 153 individuals were still unaccounted for.

Many towns throughout eastern Tennessee remain engulfed in floodwaters, coping with destroyed roads, unstable bridges, and compromised utility systems. The remnants of Helene have pushed rivers to unprecedented levels, necessitating evacuations.

Local schools are closed, including Carter County Schools, which are expected to remain shut indefinitely due to ongoing disruptions, according to county spokesperson Ivan Sanders. In Elizabethton, Sycamore Shores Hospital has closed, though nearby hospitals are operational, Sanders informed.

— Areena Arora, Knoxville News Sentinel

Restoration of Power Across North Carolina Slowly Progressing

Cooper announced that the number of customers without electricity has dropped significantly from over 1 million to 464,000 by Sunday afternoon, with ongoing efforts to restore cellphone service for thousands.

Efforts to provide assistance and make repairs are being hampered by local residents driving into storm-affected areas, officials warned during a news update, urging the public to stay home.

“Travel in western North Carolina remains limited and hazardous,” Cooper reiterated, noting that 280 roads remain closed, including portions of I-40 and I-26. “Please avoid traveling on western North Carolina roads.”

The governor reported that Helene dropped between 10 to 29 inches of rain in some mountainous regions of the state, leading to life-threatening floods and landslides. This has resulted in reports of up to 1,000 individuals being untraceable, prompting concerned relatives to search for them.

“I know many people are anxious about loved ones they’re unable to contact,” Cooper said. “That’s part of why we are urgently trying to restore communication services because we believe many are simply out of reach and safe.”

Gas and Cash Shortages in Flooded Asheville

Following extensive flooding and power outages, Asheville residents are scrambling for resources, faced with shortages of gas and clean water. Many gas stations began to close on Sunday, while businesses that remained open started accepting only cash due to the inability to process card transactions amid power outages and unreliable internet.

In West Asheville, amid the sound of chainsaws clearing fallen trees, a line formed at BJ’s Food Mart ahead of its 9 a.m. opening. As the cash-only gas station and market opened for business, screams echoed from across the street: “No gas! Cash only! No gas!”

In downtown Asheville, a long line of over an hour formed at the ATM inside the Wells Fargo building, as residents rushed to withdraw cash for groceries, water, and fuel. Many were trying to flee town, while others needed enough cash to get through the coming days.

“We came downtown looking for gas,” shared Stephan Amann with the Asheville Citizen-Times, part of the YSL News Network. “We waited at one of the gas stations on Merrimon, but they ran out before we reached the pump, which was really frustrating.”

Amann and his partner, who live in North Asheville, wanted to leave the area but found no viable options. “We’ve tried to leave, but there doesn’t seem to be anywhere to go,” he explained.

− Will Hofmann, Asheville Citizen-Times

Helene Joins the List of Recent Billion-Dollar Disasters

Since 1980, the U.S. has experienced an average of eight disasters each year with damages exceeding $1 billion. However, in the last five years, the trend of such disasters has been on the rise.

The number of catastrophes has now increased to 18, more than double what it used to be.

Helene is the most recent storm, with damages estimated between $15 billion and $100 billion.

Scientists studying climate and weather patterns suggest that storms similar to Helene are likely to become more common. This surge in storms could lead to an insurance crisis, as insurers may cut coverage in certain areas—especially Florida for storms and California for wildfires—or completely withdraw their services.

“Natural disasters are just that—natural disasters,” expressed Ian Maki, a hotel owner in Cedar Key, Florida. “However, these events no longer seem natural.”

Daughter feels ‘powerless and helpless’ in search of her parents

While Helene wreaked havoc across the Southeast, LaNette Wimer found herself waiting on hold with the Red Cross for two hours from Denver, over a thousand miles away, on Sunday morning.

Wimer, who is 59, was trying to gather information about her parents, Don and Brenda Holmer, who have called Hendersonville, North Carolina, home for the past 25 years. Hendersonville is situated south of Asheville, where Helene’s path left significant destruction.

The last conversation Wimer had with her family did not mention the imminent storm, and she fears her parents—who lack cell phones and internet access—may not have been adequately prepared. When the storm made landfall, Wimer anxiously watched the news, searched social media, and attempted to call her parents’ landline, but there was no response.

She mentioned that the Red Cross has agreed to perform a wellness check, which could take up to 48 hours. Feeling uncertain about other options, Wimer expressed, “I’m experiencing a lot of anxiety, fear, and unease.”

“How are they managing with food? Do they have water? Are their medications available?” Wimer pondered. “The feeling of powerlessness and helplessness is overwhelming. Besides looking for any information online, there’s little I can do. It’s terrifying.”

Residents in North Carolina trying to locate family members can call NC 211 (or 1-888-892-1162 from out of state) to report loved ones who are unaccounted for. Those in affected areas can let others know they are safe by using Facebook’s crisis response feature or reporting their status via the Red Cross Reunification service at 1-800-ED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Ways to contribute and help Hurricane Helene survivors

As officials assess the destruction caused by Helene across a vast region, emergency responders are being dispatched to the most affected and hindered communities. Relief initiatives and funds are being established to support those affected by the storm.

Federal authorities advise against sending unsolicited goods or traveling to disaster-impacted areas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency mentioned that, currently, they do not seek donations other than monetary contributions.

Below are some organizations accepting donations to assist those affected by Helene:

• American Red Cross: Volunteers from Florida to Tennessee are providing food, disaster supplies, and shelter to communities. The organization welcomes donations to support their relief activities.
• The Salvation Army: This organization has sent teams to deliver emergency assistance, food, and long-term recovery services for survivors and first responders. To help with their efforts, visit their Hurricane Helene relief donation page here.
• GoFundMe: GoFundMe has created a dedicated platform featuring verified fundraisers for individuals and communities affected by the storm. They also have a Hurricane Relief Fund offering cash grants to those in need.
• Americares: This nonprofit focuses on medical emergency response and has set up a donation page to aid community recovery following Helene.
• All Hands and Hearts: This volunteer organization engages in both short-term and long-term disaster recovery efforts and has initiated a fund to respond to Helene’s aftermath over the next 12 months.

Asheville faces ‘heartbreaking’ devastation

On Sunday, officials in western North Carolina continued their search for victims of the flooding.

Asheville Police Chief Michael Lamb reported that his department had a list of around 60 individuals whose relatives they had been unable to contact. The department planned to conduct “welfare checks” at the homes of these individuals.

Helene devastated significant areas of Asheville, including businesses in the cherished River Arts District. The Riverlink Bridge, which connects downtown Asheville with West Asheville, has turned into a gathering point for residents reeling from the severe damage brought by Helene. According to NOAA, the French Broad River reached a record height of 24.67 feet on Friday and was still above its banks at 12.68 feet on Sunday around noon.

Erin Quevedo, who owns Balm Salon on Depot Street, was wading through ankle-deep mud as she attempted to salvage what she could from her business.

“The salon has been completely ruined. It appears the water rose about five feet inside,” Quevedo shared. She had five hairstylists working alongside her.

“Right now, we are just trying to salvage what we can,” she explained, mentioning that only a few items, like styling tools, were salvageable. “It’s truly heartbreaking. I’m not sure what our next steps will be. It feels like we’re just taking things one step at a time.”

Severe damage along the Tennessee-North Carolina border

ERWIN, Tenn. − In the Appalachian region of eastern Tennessee, close to the North Carolina state line, the aftermath of Helene’s heavy rainfall was apparent on Sunday, with bridges washed out, roads closed, buildings destroyed, and many residents left without power.

Officials in Unicoi County mentioned that it may take weeks to restore electricity. Some residents reported that family members were still unaccounted for.

At a Red Cross shelter in Greeneville, volunteers cooked pancakes early Sunday for those who were spending the night on cots after evacuating their homes. In the town of Erwin, which has around 6,000 residents, storm victims gathered at a local high school set up as a shelter to receive hot meals, bottled water, and clothing. Many were left contemplating their next steps.

− Chris Kenning

Struggles affecting mental health

Residents of Asheville, North Carolina, voiced their worries about water access as local grocery and convenience stores faced rapid shortages. Stores were limiting customer entry, and as of early Sunday afternoon, the city and county had not yet set up any water distribution sites.

Brandi Hayes, 37, and her four children found themselves in a lengthy queue of more than 100 people outside an Ingles Markets store in west Asheville on Sunday, hoping to buy bottled water, bread, and other necessary food items, one of the few grocery stores still operating.

After running out of water on Saturday morning, Hayes resorted to collecting water from a nearby creek for flushing the toilet. She attempted to reach her 18-year-old daughter, a student at Western Carolina University, but was unable to get through.

As Hayes broke down in tears, her 12-year-old son tried to comfort her, as they acknowledged the emotional distress caused by the disaster.

“We keep focusing on what we’re grateful for,” Hayes said. “Some people don’t have homes.”

− Jacob Biba and Will Hofmann, Asheville Citizen-Times

Concerns in West Virginia for North Carolina daughter

In West Virginia, where the storm has left over 35,000 homes and businesses powerless, Twyla Bosley anxiously awaits news from her daughter, Sorida Gain.

Gain was sheltering in Marion, North Carolina, along with her boyfriend, James McKinney, their dogs, and chickens. Bosley recounted that during their last conversation, her 40-year-old daughter mentioned that floodwaters were starting to enter their basement.

“That’s the last I heard,” Bosley said. “I’ve lost track of how many missing-person reports I’ve filed. I’ve been in touch with the sheriff’s department in Marion, but still nothing.”

She tries to stay hopeful, believing that the lack of phone service and internet access could be the reason for her daughter’s silence. Nonetheless, she can’t shake the anxiety after seeing the extensive flooding reported in Asheville, located less than 40 miles southwest of Marion.

“My mind wanders to the worst scenarios—what if something happened to her? What if she’s trapped?” Bosley exclaimed. “My daughter has a significant fear of floodwaters. She’s terrified of them. I just hope she managed to escape.”

More than two feet of rain inundates North Carolina mountains

In just days preceding Helene’s arrival in Florida on Thursday night, over two feet of rain fell across North Carolina’s mountainous regions, caused by an unusual convergence of weather systems affecting the eastern U.S.

Tiny Busick in Yancey County, along the western border with Tennessee, recorded an extraordinary 29.58 inches within just 48 hours. In Asheville, record-high water levels were documented on the French Broad River and the Swannanoa River near the Biltmore estate. Aerial footage revealed that the historic Biltmore Village was nearly submerged following Helene’s path through the region.

Since Thursday, emergency services received at least 5,000 911 calls. More than 200 residents in North Carolina required rescuing as a result of Helene’s relentless rainfall, which prompted local, state, and federal authorities to spring into action. Read more here.

− Josh Meyer and Dinah Voyles Pulver

National Guard troops deployed in large numbers

Thousands of National Guard troops have been activated to assist in search and rescue efforts and clear away debris after Helene wreaked havoc in the Southeast.

The majority of National Guard personnel were positioned in Florida, where 3,900 troops were assigned across 21 counties to provide humanitarian aid, maintain security, assist in cleanup, and rescue people from emerging floodwaters.

Additional units were deployed in Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, and Tennessee, where rescuers saved 50 patients and staff from a hospital in Unicoi County that had become isolated due to severe flooding.

Residents of Madison County, Florida, share their Helene experiences

Hurricane Helene made landfall at around 11:10 p.m. on Thursday, just east of the Aucilla River’s mouth, about 40 minutes south of Madison County, Florida.

The storm tore the roof off Kenneth Butler’s house, which had only recently been repaired after Hurricane Idalia caused damage the previous year. During the storm, “it sounded like someone was grabbing tin and just throwing it everywhere,” he recalled.

As water flooded his home, all he and his family could hear was the sound of a train whistle.

Doreen Gross and her five grandchildren chose not to take any risks. Gross mentioned that her employer owned a fully furnished, unoccupied house he intended to sell and allowed them to take refuge there during the storm.

Despite the home’s sturdy structure, the fierce winds still managed to rattle the building, leaving the children understandably frightened. “The whole house was shaking, (the kids) were all terrified,” she said.

Gross remarked, “We were all packed together.”

According to Gross, it was the most frightening sight she has ever experienced, even more than when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. She described the view outside on Thursday night as resembling a scene from “The Wizard of Oz.”

− Elena Barrera, the Tallahassee Democrat

Biden updated on Hurricane Helene’s damage

President Joe Biden has issued a major disaster declaration for North Carolina, directing federal assistance to aid local recovery operations. He also approved emergency aid for Tennessee as officials raised alarms about the Nolichucky Dam in Greene County, which was nearing failure, urging approximately 100,000 residents to evacuate to higher ground. Shortly after, the National Weather Service concluded its “flash flood emergency,” but a flood warning remained active.

FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell is scheduled to visit Georgia on Sunday and North Carolina on Monday, according to the White House, as part of efforts to expedite aid for survivors and to deploy additional search and rescue teams to help speed recovery in North Carolina.

Current power outage status

The most severe power outages from Helene occurred in South Carolina, affecting over 761,000 residences and businesses as of 11 p.m. ET, based on YSL News’s outage tracking.

In Georgia, more than 583,000 were without electricity, while North Carolina faced around 432,000 outages. Florida reported over 137,000 customers affected, and Virginia had more than 104,000 outages.

Officials have warned that the restoration of services may take several days.

Factors behind Helene’s destruction

Weather experts issued warnings last Tuesday regarding a combination of weather conditions that were expected to drench the Southeast and extend further north. A weather front was set to interact with a stream of moisture being drawn in ahead of Helene.

David Easterling, a rain specialist at NOAA’s National Climate Assessment Technical Support Unit, explained, “The rain began well before the storm, flowing in from the Gulf and bolstered by moisture from the warm Gulf waters due to the storm’s circulation.”

Such interactions, termed predecessor events, are known to cause significant rain prior to the arrival of tropical storms or hurricanes. Strong jet stream winds at altitudes exceeding 115 mph contributed to lifting and intensifying moisture in the forming storms.

In North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, nearly 10 inches of rain fell in Asheville and 8 inches in Tryon, based on initial weather service data collected on Wednesday and Thursday. In Bristol-Johnson, Tennessee, there was an additional 6 inches over two days, while Knoxville recorded over 4 inches.

− Dinah Voyles-Pulver

Are there other storms developing in the Atlantic?

Forecasters are monitoring the Atlantic as the hurricane season nears its final two months.

Tropical Storm Joyce formed in the central Atlantic Ocean on Friday and was situated around 920 miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands by late Sunday, gradually losing strength. There is no risk to land.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Isaac was approximately 535 miles north-northwest of the Azores, drifting over the open Atlantic, with no current danger to land.

Additionally, an advisory from the National Hurricane Center at 11 p.m. ET highlighted a tropical depression, referred to as “12,” in the eastern tropical Atlantic, which is anticipated to gain strength in the coming days, but it is not expected to pose a threat to the U.S.