Floodwaters pushed by the remains of Hurricane Helene left North Carolina’s largest mountain town largely isolated by damaged roads and a lack of power and cellphone service on Saturday, part of a swath of destruction in southern Appalachia that has an unknown number of deaths and countless worried loved ones unable to reach their loved ones.
In North Carolina alone, more than 400 roads remained closed Saturday as floodwaters began to recede, revealing the extent of the damage. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said supplies were being flown to that part of the state. Cooper said two people had died in his state, Hélène killed at least 52 people people in several states.
Among those rescued from rising waters was nurse Janetta Barfield, whose car was flooded Friday morning as she left her night shift at Asheville Mission Hospital. She said she saw a car in front of her driving through standing water and thought it was safe to continue. But his car stalled and, within minutes, water filled his front seat up to his chest. A nearby police officer who saw her car stall helped her get to safety.
“It was amazing how fast that stream flowed in just five minutes,” Barfield said.
Erik Verduzco / AP
Early Saturday morning, many gas stations were closed because they had no power, and the few that were open had hour-long lines around the block. The tourism and arts hub, home to about 94,000 people, was unusually quiet after floodwaters inundated neighborhoods known for attracting visitors, including Biltmore Village and the River Arts District, home to many galleries, shops and breweries.
More than 700,000 electric customers were without power across North Carolina, including 160,000 in Buncombe County. Interstate 40 and I-26 were impassable in several places, and a state Department of Transportation map showed most roads leading to Asheville and through much of the mountains were blocked. The North Carolina Department of Transportation posted on social media Saturday afternoon that “all roads in western North Carolina should be considered closed.”
In Asheville, there was no cell service or timetable for his recovery.
“We had a loss of life,” county Emergency Services Director Van Taylor Jones told reporters. However, he said they were not ready to give details. Officials were prevented from contacting next of kin due to communications breakdowns. Asheville Police established a curfew from 7:30 p.m. Friday to 7:30 a.m. Saturday.
“The curfew is intended to ensure public safety and will be in effect until further notice,” police said.
Asheville transit services were also suspended, police said. The city advised residents to boil “all water used for human consumption” as there was at least one major water main break during the storm. Many residents may have no access to water or water at reduced or no pressure.
Jones said the area experienced a cascade of emergencies including heavy rain, high winds and mudslides. Officials said they tried to prepare for the storm, but its magnitude was more than they could have imagined.
“It’s not that we weren’t prepared, but this is going to take it to another level,” Sheriff Quentin Miller said. “To say it took us by surprise would be an understatement.”
Erik Verduzco / AP
Atlanta resident Francine Cavanaugh said she has been unable to reach her sister, son or friends in the Asheville area.
“My sister came to see me yesterday morning to see how I was doing in Atlanta,” she said Saturday. “The storm had just hit her in Asheville, and she said it was really scary out there.”
Cavanaugh said his sister had no idea how serious the storm was. She told Cavanaugh she was going to go see guests at a vacation cabin “and that’s the last I heard from her. I texted everyone I know without answer. All phone calls go straight to voicemail.”
