Hurricane Helene caused devastating flooding in North Carolina’s mountain city of Asheville, leaving residents and local business owners stranded and grieving.
On Saturday, Helene pushed floodwaters across western North Carolina, destroying countless buildings and homes. Asheville’s River Arts District completely flooded over the weekend, with popular businesses scrambling to recover or simply accepting total loss.
The historic Biltmore Village in Asheville, which dates back to the 1800s, experienced the brunt of the storm, with flooding from the nearby Swannanoa River demolishing the first floors of buildings. This left many residents stranded and forced the estate to temporarily close.
Many small, local businesses have also been impacted by the storm.
Erin Quevedo, owner of Balm Salon on Depot Street, spoke to The Asheville Citizen-Times about her business’s catastrophic fate. “The salon was completely destroyed. It looks like the water came up to about 5 feet inside,” she said. “Right now, all we’re doing is we’re trying to salvage what we can.”
The building is filled with muddy water, its walls flaking off. “It’s really heartbreaking. I’m not really sure what we’re gonna do. I think it’s just kind of one step at a time,” Quevedo said.
The salon is—like many other businesses in Asheville—temporarily closed.
Many who were forced to remain in the area during the storm are either stranded or unaccounted for, leaving loved ones frantic. Between power outages and limited mobile service, it has been nearly impossible for many family members or close friends to communicate.
Atlanta resident Francine Cavanaugh—who was also impacted by the hurricane—has a sister, son, and friends in the Asheville area—all of whom she’s been unable to reach.
“My sister checked in with me yesterday morning to find out how I was in Atlanta,” Cavanaugh told the Associated Press. “The storm was just hitting her in Asheville, and she said it sounded really scary outside.”
Unfortunately, that was the last Cavanaugh heard from her.
“I’ve been texting everyone that I know with no response,” she said. “All phone calls go directly to voicemail.”
So far, the North Carolina National Guard has rescued over 119 individuals, with 41 of them—the largest rescue—taking place just north of Asheville.
Janetta Barfield is one of the lucky ones. The nurse, who worked an overnight shift at Asheville’s Mission Hospital on Friday, said her car was swamped on Friday morning. As she attempted to drive through standing water, her car stalled and flooded within minutes, trapping her inside as water rose to her chest. Thankfully, a police officer was able to save her.
“People are desperate for help and we are pushing to get it to them—[it is] a massive effort,” Governor North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said.
Many of the routes allowing access to Asheville remain closed, isolating the city. North Carolina Gov. Cooper said officials were airlifting supplies to those in need.
But despite these rescue efforts, Hurricane Helene’s impact exceeded expectations and preparations.
“It’s not that we [were] not prepared, but this is going to another level,” Sheriff Quentin Miller said. “To say this caught us off guard would be an understatement.”
The post Asheville Devastated by Flooding: ‘People Are Desperate for Help’ appeared first on VICE.
The post Asheville Devastated by Flooding: ‘People Are Desperate for Help’ appeared first on VICE.
