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Thousands in North Carolina Still Without Water Days After Hurricane Helene’s Destruction

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Six days after Hurricane Helene hit the U.S. Southeast, tens of thousands of North Carolina residents are still without running water, with more than 180 fatalities reported across multiple states. The hurricane caused widespread flooding, severely damaging water plants and infrastructure, leaving many residents with no access to clean water. Over a million people remain without electricity, and water distribution sites have been set up to provide essentials to those in need.

The hardest-hit region, Asheville, is experiencing one of the most significant water crises. The city’s water supply system, serving over 150,000 people, has been severely damaged, with residents warned that running water may not return for weeks. Some neighborhoods have no water at all, while others face low pressure and have been advised to boil water before using it. The impact is widespread, affecting homes, businesses, hospitals, and schools, with authorities working around the clock to restore services.

At a food and water distribution hub set up in Pack Square Park, volunteers distributed drinking water and ready-to-eat meals. David Shoham, a resident who has been without power and water since Friday, expressed a common sentiment: “There’s nothing we can do about it individually. We just have to trust that our institutions are going to step up.”

Local businesses are also struggling. Jordan Lance, owner of Buxton Chicken Palace, has been collecting water to prepare meals for residents, though the uncertainty about how long the water shortage will last has left many business owners concerned about their future. Harrison Fahrer, co-founder of Cellarest Beer Project, echoed these concerns, stating, “If we can’t brew, we can’t pay our bills.”

The storm, which first made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, brought catastrophic flooding and destruction across the Southeast, affecting multiple states. In Asheville, the storm washed out key water pipes, severely damaging water plants, including North Fork and DeBruhl, making it difficult to restore services. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Guard have been deployed to assist in recovery efforts, but the timeline for full restoration remains uncertain.

At least 61 people have died in Buncombe County alone, bringing the storm’s overall death toll to 189 across six states. In addition to the water crisis, search-and-rescue teams are still working to locate the missing and provide aid to survivors.

President Joe Biden visited North Carolina to assess the damage, while Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Georgia, emphasizing the need for continued federal support in the recovery process. The water crisis in Asheville has also led to the closure of schools, with local officials emphasizing that they cannot reopen without a reliable water supply.

As residents face weeks of uncertainty, the community is banding together to support one another, but the road to recovery will be long.

 

North Carolina Launches Massive Rescue Operation After Tropical Storm Helene’s Devastation

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In the aftermath of tropical storm Helene, North Carolina has initiated a large-scale search and rescue effort, delivering emergency supplies to isolated communities left devastated by the storm. What began as a hurricane battering Florida’s Gulf coast evolved into a destructive force across the southeastern U.S., cutting off remote areas and leaving hundreds of people unaccounted for, with many feared dead.

The storm has claimed more than 100 lives across six states—North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia. Rescue teams are working to access cut-off towns, with the death toll expected to rise once isolated areas are reached. Roads remain blocked, and nearly 7,000 people have registered for federal aid. The U.S. National Guard is airlifting 1,000 tons of food and water to affected areas.

One of the worst-hit regions is the small town of Bat Cave in western North Carolina, where the Broad River overflowed, destroying homes and severing infrastructure. Residents described the area as “post-apocalyptic,” with one local, Aaron Smith, recounting how his home was reduced to rubble. Private helicopters were initially waved off from landing due to the unstable condition of the town’s bridge.

Nearby, the village of Chimney Rock was also destroyed by the storm, with debris and wreckage filling Lake Lure downstream. In Charlotte, City Councilman Tariq Bokhari shared footage of the devastation at Lake Lure, describing the scene as overwhelming and “beyond belief.”

State and federal recovery efforts are in full swing, with 1.8 million homes still without power. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp confirmed the loss of 25 lives in his state, while South Carolina reported at least 29 fatalities. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, after an aerial tour of the damage, said that significant resources would be needed for recovery and praised the ongoing work of search and rescue teams.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell noted that 3,000 federal personnel are deployed across the region to assist in relief efforts. President Joe Biden, attributing the scale of destruction to climate change, vowed that the federal government would not leave until recovery is complete and may call a special session of Congress to pass additional aid funding.