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Hurricane Helene Causes Historic Southeast Flooding

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The storm unleashed historic flooding across the Southeast, leaving dozens of people dead and millions without power.

After hitting Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 4 hurricane late last week, Hurricane Helene unleashed historic rain and flooding in parts of Georgia and the Carolinas, causing widespread devastation. Western North Carolina was particularly hard-hit, as Helene inundated rivers, washed away roads, and cut off communications and cell service, complicating rescue efforts.

In Buncombe County, N.C., alone, there have been at least 30 storm-related deaths and hundreds of people reported missing. Floodwaters from the Swannanoa River overwhelmed Asheville, N.C., which saw catastrophic damage. The river crested at Asheville’s Biltmore Estate at 26.1 feet, nearly 6 feet above the record.

In Valdosta, Ga., 100-year-old trees fell on top of houses, and several downtown buildings were destroyed.

Trees fell on houses and roads, causing power outages and school closings in Charlotte, N.C. After heavy rains from the hurricane, Broad River flowing into Lake Lure flooded the village of Chimney Rock, N.C., with debris.

Historic southeast flooding devastation

A stop sign in a flooded parking lot can barely be seen on Sept.

28 after torrential rain caused severe flooding in Morganton, N.C. A broken utility pole and extensive damage to the Biltmore Village in Asheville are evident in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. A motorist drove past a dead fish in the Biltmore Village, and debris piled up in standing water.

Workers surveyed a large section of Highway 105 that washed away in Boone, N.C., and a van was partially submerged in the Swannanoa River. The entrance to Terry Wilson’s home in Old Fort, N.C., was caked in thick mud after he and his 93-year-old mother, June, managed to escape the flooding. A large metal container and other debris were strewn across roads, while a crumpled mobile home and damaged vehicles were visible in Old Fort.

An aerial picture showed a large tree fallen onto a house in Valdosta, Ga., and photos captured the wreckage of kitchens and homes in Boone, N.C.

Drone views showed U-Haul rentals and damaged vehicles tipped over on muddy roads in Asheville, and houses in Swannanoa, N.C., were significantly damaged. The region continues to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and the recovery efforts are ongoing.


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  • Yahoo.”Photos show catastrophic damage from Helene in western N.C. and Georgia”.
  • NBCNews.”Helene Live Updates: Southeast reels from deadly storm damage and heavy flooding”.
  • NYTimes.”What We Know About Hurricane Helene’s Destruction So Far”.

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