Sunday Helene Update
Via NCDOT, I-40 Near Black Mountain & at Milepost 3 near the state line
Good afternoon, with hundreds of roads still impassible and communities all over Western North Carolina cut off, a massive air bridge is underway to get supplies and repair crews into hard hit areas where thousands of people remain isolated in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene.
Planes and helicopters, including additional heavy lift aircraft loaned by other states, are bringing in food and water. Distribution sites and relief kitchens are being set up, but getting supplies to them has been challenging.
Open Shelter List
NC DOT Road Closures Map
Evacuation Orders
Active Flood Warnings Via NWSGSP
City of Asheville — Tropical Storm Helene Recovery Resources
Citizen Times — What’s open in Western NC? Where to get gas, groceries and more in Helene aftermath
The state’s string of storm driven disasters over the past decade has left it better prepared, but the unique challenges of the mountainous west and rains far exceeding previous records have combined for an event every bit as devastating to the region as Hurricane Florence was to the coastal plain.
Blue Ridge Public Radio Live Updates
For a few days after Florence, Wilmington was an island. This week, it was Asheville.
There was good news today that I-26 is passable, but there are dozens of small towns in WNC that remain islands and, like Asheville, will be harder to access and get around in for some time.
There will be quick fixes and temporary bridges, but half of I-40 is gone at Milepost 3, I-26 is still closed at the Tennessee line and ever other major highway in the region will require major repairs as well.
The velocity of water pouring down the mountains into low lying areas did much more than take out bridges and roads. Initial assessments show widespread damage to water and sewer infrastructure. As of Sunday afternoon about 50 public water systems are still without power.
Getting water distributed until systems are operational has been difficult as this Citizen-Times story on Asheville’s problems setting up distribution points out:
To a question about why no other existing water supplies were on hand, Pinder said they did have resources, but it was “on the other side of the river in Swannanoa so that has been cut off for us as well.”
If you’re reading this in Western North Carolina, I hope you stay safe, fed and sheltered and I hope you know that there are a lot of people pulling for you and working to get you help.
If you’re reading this outside of Western North Carolina, your neighbors need you. LFG!
• Blue Ridge Public Radio — Ways to donate and help flood victims in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene
• Day One Disaster Relief — Hurricane Helene fund (DayOne FB Page)
• NC Disaster Relief Fund FAQ
• Citizen Times — How to help Western North Carolina storm and flood victims: Where to donate, what to do (and what not to)
Here’s Sunday’s update from Governor Cooper and emergency management officials.
Here’s gov’s most recent press release, which came out at about 4:30 pm Sunday:
Critical supplies are starting to reach Western North Carolina communities hit hard by devastating Hurricane Helene as crews make progress toward restoring power and cell phone service and repairing roads.
Food, water and other needs are arriving in Asheville and also being airlifted by the North Carolina National Guard into counties across Western North Carolina. Cellphone providers are working to fix the damage and get stopgap solutions in place and rapid progress is being made. Across the region, more than 500,000 customers remain without power, down from a peak of more than one million.
“People are desperate for help — and we are pushing to get it to them. Please know that we are sending resources, and coordinating closely with local governments, first responders, state and federal partners, and volunteer organizations to help those impacted by this tragic storm,” Governor Roy Cooper said. “This is an unprecedented tragedy that requires an unprecedented response.”
NC National Guard members are working alongside local emergency responders conducting search and rescue missions, delivering needed supplies, and helping to restore infrastructure. Approximately 550 North Carolina National Guard personnel have been deployed in response to the storm, along with more than 100 vehicles and 11 aircraft.
Twenty-four emergency shelters have opened, providing capacity for 942 residents. Shelter information can be found at readync.gov.
Eleven storm-related deaths have been confirmed in North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene and dozens of people have been reported missing. This number is the confirmed number reported by North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and is expected to rise. First responders have received hundreds of calls for rescue and more than 1,000 requests for welfare checks. State search and rescue teams have conducted hundreds of rescues and are being assisted from teams from more than a dozen other states.
More than 1,600 North Carolina Department of Transportation employees and contract crews are working to clear roads and get them open again, but 280 state-maintained roads remain closed including parts of Interstate 40 and Interstate 26. NCDOT is getting food and water supply trucks, power and cellphone utility trucks, and other vehicles through damaged roads and into Western North Carolina.
People are urged to stay off Western North Carolina roads so that emergency responders, utility crews, and desperately needed supplies can get through. Real time road conditions are available at drivenc.gov.
The federal government late yesterday granted Gov. Cooper’s request for a Federal Major Disaster Declaration, providing immediate help for 25 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. This disaster declaration will provide both individual assistance for people living in those counties and public assistance to reimburse local governments, state agencies and non-profits for funds spent repairing facilities and infrastructure. Additional information about these resources can be found at disasterassistance.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
Residents affected by the storm should pay close attention to advisories and updates from their local government and emergency services, as this is an evolving situation. Residents with storm-related issues or questions should call 211 for assistance and press 1. This includes requests for welfare checks for loved ones in the affected area. Call 911 for emergencies only.
Information resources and information regarding Hurricane Helene can be found at www.ncdps.gov/helene. The most up-to-date information on local conditions, shelters, and resources can be found by following county government social media and websites or by visiting ReadyNC.gov, which features traffic, power outage and shelter information.