Asheville flooding: Hurricane Helene drone footage shows swallowed city streets
Asheville and other mountainous towns in western North Carolina were devastated by historic flooding brought in by Hurricane Helene.
Since the beginning of the storm, the area has seen between a foot and two feet of rainfall.
Sheriff Quintin Miller said there were at least 30 deaths in Buncombe County, which includes Asheville.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper predicted the toll in the county would rise as rescuers and other emergency workers reached areas isolated by collapsed roads, failing infrastructure and widespread flooding.
In the county, more than 1,000 names have been added to a database of people who haven't been in contact with friends or family, the county manager said at a news briefing Sunday.
Cooper implored residents in western North Carolina to avoid travel, both for their own safety and to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. More than 50 search teams spread throughout the region in search of stranded people.
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Asheville, NC flooding
Asheville, a hub of tourism and arts with about 94,000 residents, was unusually still after floodwaters swamped neighborhoods known for drawing visitors including Biltmore Village and the River Arts District, which is home to numerous galleries, shops and breweries.
Footage filmed by Peter Burg, some of it with a drone, shows entire city streets covered by extensive flooding in the River Arts District.
Authorities were rushing to airlift supplies and restore communications and roads in Asheville and surrounding areas but flooding has cut off access.
Fuel, food, and water are in short supply, causing tensions to run high in Buncombe County. Local media report arguments breaking out at gas stations and lines "miles long" for fuel.
When asked about the delay in supplies and tensions at open gas stations, the Buncombe County sheriff said supplies are delayed because many roads have been destroyed. The Sheriff’s Office is considering posting deputies at gas stations.
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Hurricane Helene aftermath
Hurricane Helene: the cost of a natural disaster
The Biden Administration announced multiple emergency declarations for states across the southeastern portion of the country. The economic impact of Hurricane Helene will be felt far beyond the region. Professor Gregory Upton of Louisiana State University joins LiveNOW from FOX to discuss.
Hurricane Helene roared ashore in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane late Thursday with winds of 140 mph.
From there, it quickly moved through Georgia and soaked the Carolinas and Tennessee with torrential rains.
More than 80 people have been killed in total. Several million people were without power as of Sunday afternoon.