Communities across Western North Carolina are recovering after strong storms, heavy rains and severe flooding ravaged the state, leaving behind what officials said were “biblical devastation.”
Tropical Storm Helene hit the region on September 27, causing massive power outages, dam and reservoir ruptures and countless fallen trees. Widespread cell service disruptions and impassable roads left people cut off, locked down or trapped in their homes.
Here’s what you need to know about Asheville after Helene’s devastation.
What is the extent of storm damage in Asheville?
While downtown Asheville, the largest city in Western North Carolina, was not hit as hard by the Helene floods, the city of 95,000 was largely without power, cell service and water as of Sunday morning. Most shops, restaurants, hotels and businesses are closed.
But immediately outside the city and throughout Buncombe County and neighboring counties, Helene wreaked total devastation. At least 10 deaths have been confirmed in Buncombe County, but no names have been released to the public as of Sunday morning.
When will power return to Asheville?
At least 95,000 power outages were reported in the Asheville region as of Sunday morning, according to Duke Energy’s outage map. Crews assessing damage and making repairs focused on the hardest-hit areas first. A restoration of several days is expected.
More than 300,000 outages were reported in the Western North Carolina region. Cell service is also down for much of Buncombe County, with no known restoration timeline.
What is the status of Asheville’s water system?
A boil water advisory is in effect for Western North Carolina and preliminary assessments indicate serious damage to Asheville’s city water system.
This is a “weather event for generations,” Ben Woody, Asheville’s assistant city manager, said Saturday. “While it is impossible to provide an accurate timeline, I want to be clear that restoring service will be a longer effort.”
The Fresh Market will be handing out free bottled water in the parking lots of their Asheville locations starting Sunday from 6 p.m. The Fresh Market locations are 944 Merrimon Ave. and 1378 Hendersonville Road.
The State Emergency Operations Center will also send drinking water to Asheville. Special distribution points will be set up and a distribution system is currently being developed. At a press conference on Sunday morning, the water had not yet arrived and no distribution plans were available.
What roads are closed in Asheville?
All roads in Western North Carolina should be considered closed and non-emergency travel is prohibited. Interstate 40 is impassable in several locations in Buncombe County.
Governor Cooper’s office said Saturday evening that Interstate 26 south of Asheville is essentially the only major artery in and out of the city due to damage to Interstate 40 and other routes.
How many residents does Asheville have?
Asheville, the seat of Buncombe County in the eastern region of Western North Carolina, is home to 94,589 residents, according to the 2020 census.
It is known for the Biltmore Estate, Blue Ridge Parkway, Pigsah National Forest and the North Carolina Arboretum. The city is home to dozens of breweries, James Beard Award-winning restaurants, and a vibrant arts scene.
The River Arts District, the center of Asheville’s arts scene, has been completely wiped out by Helene.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville, NC isolated by flooding. Latest information about electricity, mobile telephony and more
