ASHEVILLE, N.C. — It’s now the second weekend of recovery and resilience since Hurricane Helene devastated Florida and the Southeast, killing at least 232 people in the deadliest U.S. mainland hurricane since Katrina, while Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for.
Communities are still struggling in Florida’s Big Bend, Helen’s wall and the storm had to bear the brunt of this.and in southern Georgia where Helene’s hurricane-force winds caused widespread property damage.
But it is the widespread devastation of the mountain communities of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee where the scope of the devastation is slowly coming into focus.
Debris and damage were scattered across cities, as 15-30 inches of rain caused many rivers to rise well beyond record flood heights, sending several feet of water into streets and neighborhoods. It left behind immeasurable scenes of destruction – a mix of buildings, cars, trees, power lines and whatever else might have been swept away by Helen’s torrential rains.
Now, the rivers have begun to recede, blurred lines of water over the tops of homes and buildings reflect the staggering heights of the floodwaters, and mountains of mud and debris are a residual reminder of how neighborhoods became floating river beds. Are.
Amidst the grief of massive losses, communities in this badly affected region face the dual challenge of cleaning up the mess and rebuilding neighbourhoods, roads and critical power and water infrastructure. Rescue teams, engineers, linemen, doctors, nurses and relief workers are coming from all over the country.
As more areas are being searched for the first time, the death toll is expected to rise. Efforts to locate missing persons are being hampered by the lack of phone service and electricity in the area.
Asheville, North Carolina Police Deputy Chief Sean Aardema said Friday that his agency is still investigating 75 active missing persons cases. His agency spent the week finding and rescuing three survivors trapped under debris and getting them medical treatment – two who were trapped under debris inside the Swannanoa River and another man who was trapped in his home.
As of Thursday, Buncombe County in western North Carolina reported 200 people were still missing.
Many people in the area are still required to boil water because waterways are damaged and wells have been contaminated by dirty floodwaters. One Preliminary Study by CoreLogic Estimates The cost of damage has already reached $30.5 billion to $47.5 billion.
More than half a million people across the Southeast are still without power more than a week after Helene struck. Duke Energy says 1.2 million outages have so far been repaired in North Carolina, with about 170,000 outages still remaining in the Mountain West.
The company says the destruction of infrastructure will cause about 105,000 long-term outages. A £200,000 mobile substation is brought to Biltmore Village, as their main substation was covered with water and will require 3–4 months of repairs.
Hospitals across America were preparing for this Possible shortage of IV fluids and dialysis solutions Major supplier Baxter International’s medical plant in Marion, North Carolina suffered significant damage.
‘Today my sorrow is immense’
As the death toll rises, communities grapple with who they have lost amid the destruction.
Kim Ashby, 58, seventh grade teacher One of hundreds still unaccounted for in western North Carolina When his house was washed away in flood waters.
She was in Elk Park with her husband when the nearby river overflowed and engulfed the house. As they tried to get out, debris fell on the house, causing it to fall into the river and taking the Ashbys with it. Family members said Rod tried to hold on to Kim, but lost his grip and was swept away.
“She’s a happy, sweet soul,” Meidinger said. “Not just to her kids, but many people know her as Mama Kim. So she’s an incredibly vibrant person who just spreads happiness.”
in asheville, Meghan Dry lost her 7-year-old son and both parents When they had to run to their terrace to escape the flood, the house collapsed.
“My son cried out to Almighty God. And I think that moment he was saved, and he became my hero, and I think all of that carried me through that moment,” Drye said. “Today my sorrow is immeasurable. I am sad. I feel broken.
In Irvine, Tennessee, employees and Family members mourn the death of several Impact Plastics workersWho were washed away while trying to escape the surging waves of the Nolichki River which passes through the city.
One of the presumed dead is Rosie Reynoso, a 29-year-old devoted wife and mother of two.
“At one point, she called her husband and said, ‘This sucks. I don’t think I’ll make it. Can you tell our kids how much I love them and how much I care for them? ” anabel andrade She said while controlling her tears.
‘I knew no one else was coming’
Many of the survivors had harrowing stories of escaping the swift waters.
John Zara and his family Had to climb onto the roof of my home in Swannanoa as the river reached record levels.
“Within an hour or less the water went from street level inside my house and up to my chest,” Zara said. Neighbor John Arndt and another with a kayak came to rescue Zara, his wife and two young children from the roof, but could not be saved.
“People started hearing some noises over there (in the houses next door) and realized they were trapped in their attic,” Zara said. Two people living nearby knocked it out with axes and cut down the roofs, saving two families and their dogs trapped in their attics.
“There were sheds floating over there (on the street),” Arndt said. “We had to avoid tyres, cars, washing machines, anything you could think of. It was absolutely unrealistic. This was madness.”
But they all emerged safely.
“There’s not enough thanks and kindness in the world that I can give them,” Zara said. “We owe our lives, our family’s lives and the lives of those other families to those two gentlemen who were able to get the kayaks for us… I knew no one else was coming.”
But there were also stories of perseverance.
a man from south carolina Drove 17 miles through Helen’s destruction Still to attend his daughter’s wedding.
Volunteers and staff at an animal shelter in hard-hit Asheville Managed to save more than 100 pets Struggled to get them out of harm’s way before a flood destroyed the city.
“When I got there, and I saw everything underwater, it was pretty devastating,” said Leigh Craig Chamblee. brother wolf animal rescue“And also, oh God, thank God we got them out… If we hadn’t, they would have all perished in that building.”
East Tennessee native and country music star Dolly Parton announced Friday that she will donate $1 million As part of a $10 million charitable partnership with Walmart.
Parton said, “These are my mountains, these are my valleys, these are my flowing rivers.” “These are my people, these rainbow-colored mountains. These are my people, and this is my home.”
Federal, state and local aid continues to flow into the area as communities slowly work to get back on their feet.
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