How flood damage is cutting off North Carolina communities from emergency relief

Relief workers are rushing aid to Asheville and nearby towns in North Carolina after massive floods caused by Hurricane Helene demolished buildings, destroyed roads and cut power to thousands.

At least 35 deaths have been reported in Buncombe County in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, and more are expected, Paste BN reported.

Read more: How to help those impacted by Helene.

Power outages and severely damaged roads have virtually isolated Asheville and are hampering relief efforts. The North Carolina National Guard is using helicopters to fly food, water and other supplies to the area, Gov. Roy Cooper said.

“This is an unprecedented tragedy that requires an unprecedented response,” Cooper said.

Heavy rain as Hurricane Helene moved inland

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More than 500 soldiers and airmen from the National Guard have been activated.

Helene caused severe flooding across the southeastern portion of the U.S., but North Carolina was hit particularly hard. More than 30 inches of rain was recorded in some areas, Paste BN reported.

At least 200 roads in North Carolina were closed as of Sunday morning, including Interstate 40 and Interstate 26 at the Tennessee-North Carolina border, Paste BN said.

More than 32 inches of rain was reported in Jeter Mountain, North Carolina, according to AccuWeather. About 30 inches was reported in Busick, North Carolina.

Atlanta received more than 11 inches of rain in 48 hours, an amount that broke the city's record of 9.59 inches in 1886, AccuWeather said.

The historic 250-room Biltmore Estate in Asheville, a major tourist attraction, will remain closed as damage is assessed.

How much damage will Helene cause?

Early estimates of dollar damage caused by Helene vary widely. AccuWeather said total damage and economic losses could be $145 billion to $160 billion. Moody's Analytics estimated losses at $20 billion to $34 billion.

Contributing: Ahjane Forbes, C.A. Bridges, John Bacon, Sarah Honosky and Keith Sharon

Source: Paste BN Network reporting and research; Reuters; National Weather Service; National Hurricane Center