Asheville, North Carolina is a quiet mountain village, a college town where young people find themselves embraced by the local residents amid spectacular mountain scenery. Normally, the only drama in Asheville comes from the college students enjoying their weekends–at times, too raucously.
But Hurricane Helene brought more than drama to places like Asheville, it brought devastation. The storm’s trail of destruction has been called historic and even “Biblical.” The hurricane, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm, has resulted in at least 93 confirmed deaths, a number that sadly may rise as recovery efforts continue. The impact was particularly severe in Asheville, where fast-moving waters from the raging Swannanoa River surged above front-door steps, leaving the historic village submerged and causing extensive damage to buildings and small businesses. In places, the water almost completely topped utility poles.
The scenes of devastation are heart-wrenching, with photos and videos circulating online showing the extent of the damage. The storm has not only caused significant structural damage but also emotional and financial distress for the residents of North Carolina.
The scenes paint a grim picture of Helene’s wrath. Muddy flood waters lifted homes from their foundations. Landslides and overflowing rivers left the small mountain communities isolated as they cut off the roads to get in or out. Power outages affected over 3 million customers. Rescuers were completely overwhelmed by the record numbers of emergency calls. Anxious relatives took to Facebook and social media to search for loved ones they hadn’t heard from. The toll from the storm is likely to rise. Taylor Jones, Buncombe County’s director of emergency management, said officials were resorting to their “mass fatality plan” and trying to notify relatives, a process complicated by service outages.
“This is looking to be Buncombe County’s own Hurricane Katrina,” said Avril Pinder, the manager of the county, which includes Asheville.
The death toll grew throughout the Southeast as the scope of Helene’s devastation came into clearer view. By the latest count, at least 93 people had been killed in five states — Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
As the state reels from the effects of the hurricane, the focus now shifts to recovery and rebuilding. The road to recovery will be long and challenging, with preliminary damage estimates ranging from $15 billion to $26 billion.
The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, and it will take time for life to return to normal. For now, the priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of those affected, providing aid, and beginning the process of rebuilding. As Beverly Eller, 68, sitting with her husband and dog in the Toyota that is now their temporary home, said, “We haven’t cried yet. We are just in survival mode.”
The crying will come later, as they fully realize the extent of the trauma and the loss.
For those looking to help, numerous relief organizations are accepting donations and volunteers to aid in the recovery efforts.
