The death toll in western North Carolina has more than tripled as the aftermath of Hurricane Helene continues to unfold. In Buncombe County, which includes Asheville, 35 people are now confirmed dead, and many more are still unaccounted for. Survivors describe seeing bodies caught in trees and buried under debris, underscoring the scale of the disaster.
Hurricane Helene has left a trail of destruction across the Southeast, with 120 people dead nationwide. The storm, which made landfall last Thursday, caused catastrophic flooding in the mountains of North Carolina, washing away homes and roads. Thousands of residents remain cut off from rescue crews as roads have been washed out and power lines knocked down.
Alyssa Hudson, a resident of Black Mountain, shared her heartbreaking experience of losing her home. “Our floors are caved in, our walls are gone,” she said. Hudson and her boyfriend managed to escape before the worst of the flooding, but they lost nearly everything they owned.
Others in the area have faced even more dire situations. One resident described helping pull a family from their trailer moments before it was swept away by a river of mud. Emergency responders are still working to reach survivors in remote areas, but many remain stranded without access to basic supplies.
As the region begins to recover, stories of survival and loss continue to emerge. In Asheville, the city’s water system has been severely damaged, and many residents are relying on creek water for basic needs. The historic town of Chimney Rock has been almost completely destroyed, with entire streets of shops and restaurants washed away by the storm.
With damage estimates reaching $34 billion, the long road to recovery has just begun. The search for missing people continues, and many fear the final death toll will rise even higher.
