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Asheville was left reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, with power outages, road flooding, and devastated communities. The storm’s remnants pounded the largest mountain city in North Carolina, leaving a trail of destruction and tragedy in its wake. The once bustling tourist and cultural center of Asheville now stood quiet and desolate, with floods cutting off roads, gas stations closed due to power outages, and no cellphone service for residents.
The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene was immense, with over 400 North Carolina highways impassible on Saturday due to flooding. Governor Roy Cooper acknowledged the severity of the situation and stated that supplies were being flown in to help those affected. The death toll continued to rise, with reports of at least seven people killed in North Carolina alone and 57 across multiple states.
One of the many harrowing stories to emerge from the disaster was that of Asheville Mission Hospital nurse Janetta Barfield. Barfield had just completed an overnight shift when she found herself caught in rising floodwaters. Her vehicle became stuck, and water quickly filled the front seat to her chest. She was rescued by a quick-thinking police officer who witnessed her plight and came to her aid.
Many residents were left stranded and helpless as power outages crippled the city. Gas stations were closed, and those that were open saw lines stretching around the block. Biltmore Village and the River cultural District, both popular areas with galleries, boutiques, and breweries, were submerged in water. Over 700,000 power outages were reported in North Carolina, including 160,000 in Buncombe County. Major highways like Interstate 40 and I-26 were impassible in several places, leaving the city isolated.
The lack of communication exacerbated the crisis, with no cellphone service available in Asheville and residents unable to reach out to loved ones. The Asheville police imposed a curfew from 7:30 p.m. Friday to 7:30 a.m. Saturday to ensure public safety. The transportation system was also halted, leaving residents with no way to navigate the devastated city.
The situation was made even more dire by the contamination of the water supply. Residents were warned to boil all water used for human consumption, as at least one major water pipe had broken during the storm. Emergency services reported numerous crises, including torrential rain, strong winds, and mudslides. Despite preparations, officials were overwhelmed by the scale of the destruction.
For families like that of Francine Cavanaugh, the uncertainty was excruciating. Cavanaugh was unable to contact her sister, son, or friends in Asheville, and fears for their safety only grew as time passed. Her sister had checked in briefly before the storm hit, but since then, all efforts to reach her had been met with silence.
Asheville faced a long road to recovery, with no clear timeline for the restoration of critical services. The city was left battered and bruised by Helene’s fury, with residents grappling with loss, destruction, and uncertainty. The storm may have passed, but its impact would be felt for years to come in the resilient mountain city of Asheville.
