Deadling North Carolina flooding

I just talked to a woman who can't located her 92-year-old grandmother

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Helene left Asheville, North Carolina, cut off on Saturday, with damaged roads, widespread power outages, and no cellphone service, following a swath of devastation across the southern Appalachian region. As emergency officials continue to assess the damage, the death toll remains uncertain, and families are frantically trying to contact loved ones.

I talked to Bonnie Someinorother who lives in Alabama. She has been attempting to get a hold of her 92-year-old grandmother who lives in the Pisgha National Forest in North Carolina.

The storm, which tore through western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, prompted the rescue of dozens of people from the rooftop of a flooded hospital in Unicoi County, Tennessee, on Friday. In North Carolina alone, over 400 roads remained impassable on Saturday as floodwaters began to recede.

Erwin, TN, has been devastated by the flooding from Helene. Interstate 26 washed away near exit 40. My heart hurts tonight. I've made some of my favorite hiking memories in the hills of East Tennessee.

Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina confirmed that supplies were being airlifted into affected areas. While a section of Interstate 26 between Asheville and South Carolina reopened, most roads leading into Asheville were still blocked. Buncombe County officials reported that residents in many parts of the city were without power and cellular service, with no clear timeline for restoration. Over 700,000 people in the state were without electricity, including approximately 100,000 in Buncombe County.

Among those rescued was nurse Janetta Barfield, whose car was submerged as she left Asheville’s Mission Hospital on Friday. Barfield described how her vehicle quickly filled with water, reaching her chest, before a nearby police officer helped her to safety.

President Biden has issued the following statement on the flooding:

"It's unbelievable how fast that creek rose, within just five minutes," she said.

With power out, gas stations were closed, and the few that remained open had lines stretching for hours. Asheville’s usually vibrant neighborhoods, such as Biltmore Village and the River Arts District, known for their shops and breweries, were eerily quiet, with many areas still underwater.

Local authorities have advised residents to boil their water and announced plans to set up hubs for distributing food and water. Van Taylor Jones, the county's emergency services director, confirmed that there had been some fatalities, though details were still pending as communication issues hindered next-of-kin notifications.

Meanwhile, in Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee surveyed the damage in the northeastern part of the state, describing the scene as "heartbreaking." Floodwaters devastated the small town of Newport, Tennessee, where homes and businesses were damaged, and evacuation orders were in place. The Tennessee Valley Authority reported that the Nolichucky Dam, which had been under close monitoring, was stable despite initial concerns of a breach.

North Carolina Department of Transportation just put out this saying that people should consider all roads in western North Carolina closed for the time being.

In Asheville, officials acknowledged the enormity of the disaster. Sheriff Quentin Miller noted, “It’s not that we weren’t prepared, but this went to another level. To say it caught us off guard would be an understatement.”

Efforts to restore normalcy are expected to take months, with communities like Asheville and Newport facing a long recovery. Residents, like Genevieve Preece in Edneyville, North Carolina, have opened their homes to neighbors, providing water and temporary shelter. “We need help badly,” Preece said. “It will take months or years to put us back together again.”

As the region struggles to rebuild, the full scope of the damage continues to unfold, leaving many wondering how long it will take to recover from this unprecedented storm.

I will keep you updated on Bonnie’s situation.