A count in progress: Helene damage to North Carolina, by the numbers
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Hurricane Helene Aftermath
Hurricane Helene swept across the Southeast, causing major flooding and destruction throughout North Carolina. Here is ongoing coverage from The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer about Hurricane Helene and the aftermath, particularly in Western North Carolina.
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North Carolina is still adding up the damage done by the powerful tropical storm that started as Hurricane Helene.
The day after the extreme rain and winds stopped, the full tally was unknown. But even the partial count is eye-popping.
Deaths: 32, at least.
Landslides: 11.
Roads closed: 280 state-maintained roads, mostly due to flooding, including Interstate 40 and dozens of closures along several other U.S. and N.C. highway routes.
Most road closures as of Sunday afternoon were in Henderson, Ashe, Buncombe, Lincoln, Cleveland, Jackson, Transylvania and Yancey counties, officials said during a news conference. Of the closures 52 are on primary routes, including Interstate 40 near the Tennessee line and near Old Fort.
Flood water rescues: More than 200 people.
Homes with no power: More than 500,000 across the state.
Public water systems: 52 are without power. 93 systems on a boil water advisory, and of those 33 are awaiting test results to clear that advisory.
State of emergency declarations: 29 counties, 52 towns.
Search and rescue teams from other states: 19.
Federal search and rescue teams: 3.
Top wind gust: 106 mph, Mt. Mitchell State Park.
NCDOT employees and contractors dispatched: More than 1,600.
Flight disruptions: Over 2,000 at Charlotte Douglas International Airport since Wednesday.
Shelters opened: 16.
People sheltered Friday night: at least 1,100.
Most rainfall: 29.5 inches, Busick Raws, Yancey County. (Many mountain locations saw at least 10 inches.)
Rocky Mount EF-3 tornado: 140 mph, 100 yards wide, quarter-mile-long path near Rocky Mount’s Tiffany Boulevard.
Major disaster declaration request counties: 38, plus the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Major disaster declaration approval counties: 25, plus the Eastern Band. President Joe Biden approved the declaration Saturday.
Sources: Gov. Roy Cooper’s office; Duke Energy; North Carolina Department of Public Safety; North Carolina Department of Transportation; National Hurricane Center; National Weather Service, Greer, South Carolina, and Raleigh offices; Flight Aware.com; North Carolina State Highway Patrol; North Carolina Emergency Management.
This story was originally published September 28, 2024 at 4:02 PM.
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