re: Helene - Recovery Begins...Devastating Flash Flooding in Western NC and Eastern TN

A few random observations:

I talked to a friend who has a cabin at Lake Lure. I didn’t realize this but then Eastern Continental divide is not that far upstream from Chimney Rock so it’s truly amazing that they had that much water directed from a relatively short drainage basin. ETA…if you track The Broad River on Google Earth it isn’t far as the crow flies but it meanders all over the place from Chimney Rock NW through miles of valleys..so it’s bigger than he thought.

Biltmore Village sits in a low spot and has always been prone to flooding. This isn’t the first time there’s been flood damage there, just not to this magnitude. Same with sections of Boone.

The stretch along the BR Pkwy from Asheville to Boone including Mt Mitchell, Spruce Pine, Linville, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, etc. isn’t easy to get to in perfect conditions. A lot of steep grades and small roads…and at significant elevations. I hate to think what they went/are going through just getting in and out of there. ETA…yesterday Banner Elk officials were advising people to leave if they have somewhere to go due to damage to infrastructure.

My best guess as to why people got surprised by this storm was that we’ve had several storm remnants come through the SC upstate and western NC over the years and they were minimal events. This storm…kind of like Hugo…surprised everyone with its intensity and the amount of water it delivered that far from landfall.

When I went to bed Wed night the projected path was still far west of us so when it shifted east in the middle of the night it caught a lot of people off guard.

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When I went to bed Wed night the projected path was still far west of us so when it shifted east in the middle of the night it caught a lot of people off guard.

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Yep. The day before all you heard on the news was Atlanta, Atlanta, Atlanta. Even into that morning the Weather Channel was on the streets of Atlanta.

Nothing reliable but parts of that area are so isolated with houses built on stilts and on ridges I wouldn’t doubt it given what we do know happened to the roads. Plus there’s been a shite load of new development just like everywhere else as the mountains are in high demand….especially if it’s creek side or any waterfront property.

130,000 housing units (homes) in Buncombe County.

Only 997 have flood insurance policies.

The money is not there to rebuild for many residents.

Banner Elk authorities recommended anyone that could leave needs to go due to infrastructure damage…water and power. This was yesterday.

You can Google Banner Elk Helene and see some footage.

It's hell of a lot more than that. Look up groups on Facebook that are listing missing people, it'sthousands. Those people are dead most likely.

We have a family friend that's an engineering student at Western Carolina University. He's also a part time mechanic. Since classes are out for the foreseeable future, he and a buddy are volunteering their time to the relief effort.

They drove over to Swannanoa and found a guy who was "in charge" out coordinating things. They went up to him and said, "We're engineering students from WCU, how can we help?"

They said the first words out of his mouth were "Do you know how to hot wire a bobcat?"

"Why, as a matter of fact, I do..."

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Zero doubt that people are using the bathroom outside but people aren't popping a squat in the middle of the road to shite.

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You haven't travelled to Asheville much?

I saw a man in downtown AVL shitting on the stoop of an abandoned building.

This is today’s briefing from the county that Chimney Rock and Lake Lure are located in. Don’t believe everything “somebody’s brother’s friend” tells you on FB. Welfare checks don’t necessarily mean missing people but a person/family that hasn’t left the area or hasn’t been contacted.

“Rutherford County Hurricane Daily Briefing
October 5, 10:00 AM

MISSING PERSONS:
876 individuals have been confirmed safe thanks to the diligent efforts of the Sheriff’s Office and the FBI team working to verify all missing persons. There are 43 active welfare checks in progress. To report a missing person, please email EOC@rutherfordcountync.gov.

TOTAL DEATH COUNT: 3

POWER OUTAGES:
• Duke Energy: 7,959 customers without power (approx..1,500 are in the Lake Lure area)
• Rutherford Electric: 2,876 customers without power
• Forest City Electric: All power has been restored

VOLUNTEERS:
To support disaster recovery efforts, please email volunteer@rutherfordcountync.gov.”

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Hurricane Helene Fatality Total: 241+
{102-1,400 Remain Missing}

-119+ in North Carolina [75+ Remain Missing]
•72+ in Buncombe County
•9 in Yancey County
•9 in Henderson County
•5 in Avery County
•5 in Madison County
•4 in Haywood County
•3 in Rutherford County
•2 in Cleveland County
•2 in Watauga County
•1 in Catawba County
•1 in Gaston County
•1 in Polk County
•1 in Mecklenburg County
•1 in Macon County
•1 in Ashe County
•1 in Yadkin County
•1 in Burke County

-48 in South Carolina
•10 in Aiken County
•9 in Spartanburg County
•7 in Greenville County
•5 in Anderson County
•4 in Newberry County
•4 in Saluda County
•3 in Laurens County
•2 in Chester County
•1 in Greenwood County
•1 in Chesterfield County
•1 in Richland County
•1 in York County

-33 in Georgia
•6 in Richmond County
•5 in Washington County
•4 in McDuffie County
•3 in Lowndes County
•3 in Chatham County
•2 in Wheeler County
•2 in Laurens County
•2 in Jeff Davis County
•1 in Colquitt County
•1 in Pierce County
•1 in Liberty County
•1 in Columbia County
•2 Others [Unknown Locations]

-26 in Florida
•12 in Pinellas County
•3 in Duval County
•2 in Hillsborough County
•2 in Lee County
•2 in Manatee County
•2 in Miami-Dade County
•1 in Citrus County
•1 in Dixie County
•1 in Charlotte County
•0 in Taylor County {Hurricane Landfall Location}

-12+ in Tennessee [27+ Remain Missing]
•4+ in Unicoi County
•2 in Cocke County
•2 in Washington County
•1 in Greene County
•1 in Knox County
•1 in Johnson County
•1+ Other [Unknown Locations]

-2 in Virginia
•1 in Craig County
•1 in Tazewell County

-1 in Indiana
•1 in Gibson County

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Good to see the number of missing in TN going down without their deaths going up. It was at 85+ missing last night.