(This article will be updated. Read our earlier coverage here.)
More areas of Western North Carolina were beginning to transition into recovery mode Wednesday after Tropical Storm Helene left communities devastated, roads impassable and thousands without power. Many local and state officials cautioned residents, saying a return to normalcy would take weeks, not days. The full scope of Helene’s devastation is not expected to be known for some time.
Check back for live updates as they roll in throughout the day Thursday.
Hot meals for hurricane survivors: A comprehensive guide is up now
Looking for a hot meal, water or other supplies or food boxes? There’s now a comprehensive county by county listing for all of WNC to assist in the effort. Find it here.
Buncombe County: Important updates to know
FEMA is on the ground. The nation’s top Incident Management Team is here from New York City. Electricity is slowly coming back, and resources are getting distributed with greater reach, but WNC is still in crisis and the extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Recovery briefings are broadcast at 88.1 FM and on Buncombe County’s Facebook page at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day.
For updated city information each day, click here. For updated County information, click here.
FINDING THE MISSING
For those missing a family member or friend, please complete this form to notify Buncombe Co. officials. Officials are doing their best to locate and update current statuses at the Buncombe Co. Register of Deeds office, 205 College St., Asheville.
Other organizations are also working on missing persons requests: The United Way is conducting welfare checks and active searches. Please use this form to connect with United Way’s reunification program. The Red Cross has helpful tips for getting in touch and, if you are looking for people who have not been found, you can use this form. People can also request wellness checks by texting “Person” to 40403. That goes to NC 211 and the texter will get a link to a form.
URGENT CARE SERVICES
Mercy Urgent Care has walk-in locations open at the following addresses from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.:• West Asheville: 1201 Patton Ave.• Weaverville: 61 Weaver Blvd.• Brevard: 22 Trust Lane• Waynesville: 120 Frazier St.• Foothills: 140 W Mills St.
Novant Go-Health Urgent Care, 349 New Leicester Highway, is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Please note, these facilities treat non-life-threatening conditions. For emergencies, dial 911.
TRASH AND RECYCLING
Residents can take trash to the county landfill, 85 Panther Branch Road in Alexander. Wastepro is scheduled to announce about Friday pick up Thursday. Also on Thursday, Wastepro will have three drop off locations for trash. Storm debris will not be collected. Here are the sites:
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Ingles @ 2901 Hendersonville Road in Fletcher
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Ingles @ 1865 1865 Hendersonville Road in Asheville
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Ingles @ 225 Charlotte Highway in Asheville
DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AVAILABLE
People in Buncombe County who are unemployed as a direct result of Hurricane Helene may be eligible for unemployment benefits. Business owners and self-employed individuals affected by the storm may also qualify for benefits.• People have 60 days from Oct. 1 to file an application for DUA at des.nc.gov. The deadline to apply is Dec. 2, 2024. If you are not able to file through the website, you can call the DUA Hotline at 919-629-3857.• To get DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the day the DUA application is filed. DES will work with people who cannot provide all documentation to ensure that their unemployment benefits are not delayed.
— Staff Reports
Helene becomes fourth deadliest hurricane to hit US since 1950
Helene’s death toll hit 200 Thursday, making it the fourth deadliest hurricane to make landfall in the mainland United States since 1950. It’s the deadliest hurricane in the U.S. since Katrina in 2005.
In North Carolina, search and rescue efforts are continuing as the death toll reached at least 97 Thursday, officials confirmed. And the number of deaths could climb higher here as communities devastated by Helene begin the recovery process.
Only eight hurricanes have killed more than 100 people since 1950.
The deadliest hurricanes, based on National Hurricane Center information, are listed below by their rank, name, year and number of deaths.
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Katrina – 2005, 1,392
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Audrey – 1957, 416
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Camille – 1969, 256
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Sandy – 2012, 219
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Helene (preliminary), 200
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Diane – 1955, 184
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Ian – 2022, 156
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Agnes – 1972, 122
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Harvey – 2017, 103
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Hazel – 1954, 95
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Irma – 2017, 92
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Ike – 2008, 85
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Ida – 2021, 87
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Betsy – 1965, 75
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Andrew – 1992, 65
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Rita – 2005, 62
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Carol – 1954, 60
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Michael – 2018, 59
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Ivan – 2001, 57
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Floyd – 1999, 56
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Matthew – 2016, 52
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Florence – 2018, 52
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Isabel – 2003, 51
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Donna – 1960, 50
— USA TODAY reporting and staff
Henderson County has 9 Helene deaths, spokesman confirms
Henderson County has seen nine deaths as a result of Tropical Storm Helene, Chief Communications Officer Mike Morgan confirmed Thursday, bringing North Carolina closer to a triple digit death toll.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported six deaths in Henderson County, as of Wednesday evening.
The additional three deaths in Henderson County brings the state’s total to at least 97, officials say.
Morgan could not release the identities of any of his county’s dead or comment on how they died, he said Thursday.
“We’re in rescue mode— still shifting slowly out of that,” Morgan said. He did not know the exact number of people who remain unaccounted for, but noted, “We’ve gotten to a lot of them.”
— Staff Reports
See new aerial images showing National Guard operations over WNC
Officials: North Carolina death toll climbs to at least 94
The death toll in Western North Carolina had risen to at least 94 people Thursday with officials saying the number could climb even higher as search efforts continued throughout the region.
In hard-hit Buncombe County, 61 deaths had been confirmed so far, according to Sheriff Quentin Miller.
Avery County Manager Philip Barrier on Tuesday confirmed five deaths from Helene floodwaters after false information began circulating on social media, claiming 200 people had died in the county seat of Newland.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports the following deaths in the following counties:
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Henderson: Six
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Yancey: Nine
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Cleveland: Two
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Watauga: Two
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Burke: One
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Catawba: One
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Gaston: One
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Macon: One
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Madison: One
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Mecklenburg: One
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Polk: One
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Rutherford: One
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Yadkin: One
— Staff Reports
Henderson County assisting Bat Cave, Gerton, hard-hit Route 64
Henderson County staff were assisting people in Bat Cave and Gerton Thursday morning, Chief Communications Officer Mike Morgan said, noting, “That portion of [U.S. Route] 64 is still the hardest hit. We are replenishing supplies as we can.”
Flyers posted in the area let viewers scan a QR code that leads to a list of resources.
Free, hot meals would continue to be served twice daily — at noon and 5 p.m. — until further notice at Etowah Elementary School, East Henderson High, North Henderson High and Mills River Town Hall. Those are four of the county’s six Resource Hub locations where water and supplies like food, diapers and pet food are being distributed free of charge. The other two are located at Fletcher Town Hall and Rugby Middle School.
Morgan said people should continue to check VisithendersonvilleNC.org/helene-relief and Henderson County’s social media channels for updates.
— Staff Reports
Asheville Earth Fare hosting $500,000 food giveaway: How to get food
Earth Fare plans to give away more than $500,000 worth of food Thursday in the parking lot of its Asheville store, 66 Westgate Pkwy.
The company reports that it has about 10,000 individual meal kits (including vegetarian options) in four flavors to disburse to individuals and families starting at 11 a.m.. Boiling water is required to prepare the meals. The kits are limited to six per person, but officials are happy to accommodate for larger families if necessary, the company said in a Wednesday release announcing the giveaway, which was organized in partnership with supplier Inland Foods.
— Staff Reports
Thousands evacuated from Western North Carolina correctional facilities: What to know
The North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections said another 800 people who were incarcerated at the Mountain View Correctional Institute in Spruce Pine and from Craggy Correctional Center in Asheville were evacuated from the facilities on Wednesday. The men at both correctional facilities were sent to other locations in the state.
The department is asking family and friends not to call the prisons to check on loved ones, noting that everyone is safe.
Adult corrections have evacuated more than 2,000 people from five different facilities in the western part of the state this week due to the lack of water and power in the area.
For more information, including details on where the inmates were sent, read the full story here.
— Joyce Orlando, USA Today Network
Where to find hot meals this week in Western North Carolina
Several churches, businesses and organizations are providing hot meals to those impacted by Tropical Storm Helene in Western North Carolina. Here’s a list of known locations and when people can visit:
Haywood County
Clyde Central United Methodist Church, 410 Charles Street, is offering meals from noon-6 p.m. daily, a Haywood County government spokesperson said in a Wednesday email.
Buncombe County
Tupelo Honey’s South Asheville Store, at 1829 Hendersonville Road, will serve free hot meals from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., or until supplies run out, each day for at least five days, possibly more, beginning on Thursday, Amanda Stevens announced Wednesday.
Tyson Foods will bring a Meals that Matter Disaster Relief team to Weaverville in northern Buncombe County later this week to distribute hot meals, water and ice. Volunteers will be set up at the Walmart Supercenter, 25 Northridge Commons Parkway, from noon-5 p.m. on Friday and from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily beginning Saturday.
Transylvania County
Daily, 9-11 a.m., noon-2 p.m., 4-6 p.m. Hot meals at Cedar Mountain Community Center, 10635 Greenville Highway.Daily until power is restored, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Balsam Grove Community Center, 8732 Parkway Road.Daily, noon-2 p.m. Meals at Bread of Life, 238 S. Caldwell St.Through Friday, Oct. 4, 1-4 p.m. Hot meal from Smoke On at Champion Park parking lot, 38 Main St., Rosman.Through Saturday, Oct. 5, 1noon-4 p.m. Hot food, water and supplies at Destiny Church, 48 Tiptop Road.Through Friday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Hot meal and food distribution by the Hunger Coalition at The Family Place, 970 Old Hendersonville Highway.Friday, Oct. 4, 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 5, 8 a.m. and noon. Meal and supplies at Rosman High School old gym, 749 Pickens Highway.Saturday, Oct. 5, noon-5 p.m. Hot food at Bethel A Church, 290 Oakdale St.
— Staff Reports
UNC-Asheville campus closed, relief fund accepting donations
The University of North Carolina at Asheville’s campus will be closed through at least Oct. 14 with classes not expected to resume until at least Oct. 28 due to a lack of electricity, running water and internet, Chancellor Kimberly van Noort said in an Oct. 1 update.
All traditional university operations are suspended, and only essential employees are permitted on campus, but van Noort clarified that school isn’t out for the semester, with academic continuity planning in the works and more information to come as assessments continue.
“We have heard from many members of our extended UNC Asheville community who are eager to support our campus,” van Noort said in the update posted to X, the site formerly known as Twitter. “Your messages of solidarity and generous offers of assistance are greatly appreciated. As we continue to assess our needs and recovery efforts, a UNC Asheville Disaster relief fund has been established. Your contributions will support the entire campus community.”
The UNCA disaster relief fund is available at giving.unca.edu.
— Staff Reports
State deaths number in the 70s, at least, officials say
As Wednesday came to a close, the death toll in Western North Carolina was up to at least 73 people, officials were reporting.
Buncombe County added four new deaths Wednesday afternoon, bringing its total to 61, Sheriff Quentin Miller said.
So far, six deaths have been confirmed in Henderson County, one in Macon County and five in Avery County in addition to the Buncombe deaths.
Wellness checks were continuing across the region.
— Staff Reports
Buncombe County: Here’s everything you currently need to know
Buncombe County provided a comprehensive update Wednesday evening that included details on shelters, water, food distribution, law enforcement and other recovery information.
The update also included specific information for Asheville and Weaverville.
Here’s everything to know:
Shelter Updates
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A new general shelter has opened at the former Gold’s Gym, 1815 Hendersonville Road in Asheville. It has a playroom for children, making it ideal for families. No pets are allowed.
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A general shelter is also available at AB Tech Conference Center, 16 Fernihurst Drive in Asheville. Use Victoria Road entrance.
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A Medical Emergency Shelter, 10 Genevieve Circle in Asheville, remains available for those dependent on medical equipment.
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The shelter at the WNC Agricultural Center is full.
Power Outages
Duke Energy is reporting that 91,000 customers remain without power. The utility expects the majority of what can be restored to be back online Friday. Two submerged substations in Swannanoa will take months to repair. But, mobile substations will be arriving soon to address the situation. Wi-Fi is now available at Enka Candler Public Library. Use the password “readmore.”
BeLoved Asheville Donations: Donations are no longer being accepted at this site.
Weaverville Update
A boil advisory is in effect, please conserve water. If you cannot boil water, add 8 drops of bleach to a gallon of water. Water is being distributed at North Windy Ridge Intermediate School, 20 Doan Road in Weaverville. Bring your own water containers.
Pantry items and water will be available at Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Drive in Weaverville, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday. Donations will be accepted from 3-4 p.m.
Garbage collection will resume Oct. 7. A Mobile PNC Bank ATM is on Weaver Boulevard. T-Mobile is establishing an area for Wi-Fi and phone charging behind Tractor Supply, 14 Monticello Road in Weaverville.
Asheville Update
Water for flushing toilets will be available at Asheville JCC Pool, 40 Clyde Street, on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon. Enter from Clyde Street and pull up to the pool gate on North Crescent Street.
Water System
Work continues to restore water, with many roads not accessible for crews to make repairs.
Water Treatment Plants
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William DeBruhl Water Treatment Plant is not accessible. North Carolina Department of Transportation staff are on the ground rebuilding the road to that plant. Once road repairs are done, people and equipment can be delivered to the site to begin repairs to the plant.
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Mills River Treatment Plant is functioning and providing water to some residents. The plant is being repaired and crews are working to get the pant to full capacity as soon as possible.
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North Fork Water Treatment Plant is operational but not delivering water due to no water available for it to treat from the reservoir. Reservoir water has high turbidity levels and cannot be used. The plant is currently accessible, and people are working on adequate repairs.
Distribution Systems
The damage to water distribution systems is extensive, even if plants are operational, water can’t be delivered to the community if distribution systems are not available. Crews are making repairs to inaccessible areas as soon as possible.
Law Enforcement Update
The Asheville Police Department (APD) is under full patrol staffing. Many officers are working overtime to ensure safety. APD is also getting support from other police departments. Work includes guarding food and distribution sites, critical infrastructure, medical facilities, as well as drone and search operations, the recovery of the bodies of our neighbors who have lost their lives, welfare checks, and reunification with families.
A reminder that when intersection traffic lights are not working, it becomes a four-way stop.
The curfew remains in effect from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
— Staff Reports
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville, NC live updates: Latest on Helene recovery, death toll
