A key portion of I-40 reopens, as power returns and relief pours in
Plus: Water troubles in Asheville, a family's survival story, an unforgettable wedding
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It’s been an unimaginably difficult past few days for Western North Carolina. Many towns are still uncovering the full extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, and hundreds of people are still reported missing.
But with some major interstates open again, like Interstate 26 and parts of Interstate 40, relief efforts are piling in.
Local and national nonprofits, including Hearts with Hands, Samaritan’s Purse and the Red Cross, have teams on the ground distributing water, food and supplies to those affected, and FEMA has opened its application for assistance, which has received more than 57,000 applications.
Some folks have power back, like my uncle in Black Mountain, and cell service has also strengthened in some parts of the region, making it easier to communicate with loved ones who have been in the dark since Thursday. We’re also seeing more clarity on when power is expected to be back in some areas, and what’s happening to school districts.
Here are the latest updates coming out of the region:
I-40, the good news: Interstate 40 east of Asheville has reopened, Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday. Critically, that will allow many residents to evacuate from Western North Carolina and could help speed the aid headed to the area. It had been closed since Friday. The governor urged people to avoid unnecessary travel. (Spectrum News, WSOC’s Joe Bruno on Twitter)
I-40, the bad news: Interstate 40 west of Asheville toward the Tennessee state line could be closed for a while — perhaps a year, according to updates from the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The road experienced extreme damage from mudslides and flooding, washing away large chunks of the interstate. (NCDOT)
Mountain school districts close ‘indefinitely’: School districts across Western North Carolina have announced long-term closures, some saying schools are closed “indefinitely,” including Buncombe County Schools and Asheville City Schools. (EdWeek) My mother, who is an assistant teacher in Buncombe, received an email yesterday that all staff will still be paid during this time thanks to state relief funds.
Power being restored: Duke Energy said it expects to restore power to “a majority” of its customers in Western North Carolina by Friday, “except for areas that are inaccessible, are dependent on infrastructure that has been destroyed or are unable to receive service.” It said some parts of the electricity system will have to be rebuilt and others are so remote that it can’t assess the damage.
Water supply in Asheville: Asheville’s water system could take weeks to repair, as authorities started handing out bottled water at distribution sites, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported. Residents say they are running low on water and gas, and the water shortage is posing challenges at the city’s hospital, too. The publication Asheville Watchdog headlined a Tuesday article: “‘We are having people go in buckets’: Mission Hospital lacks water, faces waves of patients.”
Disaster aid from Raleigh: The leader of the N.C. Senate, Republican Phil Berger, said that he has been briefed on the effects of the storm and that the General Assembly “is evaluating what a disaster recovery package could look like and what other steps we can take.” He said in a social media post that North Carolina “has a healthy savings account that will help us respond to the catastrophic nature of this storm.”
Asheville airport resumes commercial flights: Asheville Regional Airport has resumed some commercial flights as of Tuesday, though not all scheduled ones. Relief supplies are being flown in but are distributed elsewhere, and parking lots are nearly full. (WLOS)
Photo of the day: Businesses in Swannanoa, east of Asheville, have been left destroyed and are covered in mud
Businesses along U.S. 70 in Swannanoa, like Live Edge Wood (pictured above), experienced major flooding and destruction. (Photo courtesy of Rey Castillo Jr.)
🎧 There’s a podcast on Hurricane Helene’s destruction
Judson Jones, a meteorologist and weather reporter for The New York Times, and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, a Times national reporter, discuss the toll left by the deadly storm in the South in the New York Times morning podcast, The Daily.
The podcast episode delves into the meteorological factors that led to the storm’s intensity, and it shares the heartbreaking story of 75-year-old Navy veteran Bruce Tipton, who clung to a tree for hours after floodwaters knocked his trailer off its foundation in Marshall, N.C., (north of Asheville) and carried it down the river. His family and neighbors tried to reach him, but the waters were too dangerous for rescue crews. After nearly seven hours of calling for help, Tipton tragically fell into the water and was swept away. (The Daily)
Quotable: Family slides 60 feet down a mountain inside their house — and survives
National media are on the scene and are reporting stories on the nightmares people have experienced over the past few days. One man in Swannanoa, T.J. Whitt, 43, injured his hands breaking out of his house in a panic, he told The Washington Post.
My whole house slid down the mountain about 60 feet with my whole family in it,” Whitt said. “But we made it out, by God’s grace. We’re more fortunate than most here because we were able to go back in and get our clothes, personal belongings, the stuff that’s most important to us — wedding rings, birth certificates. … We grabbed those and got out.
Family hikes out of neighborhood in Chimney Rock with their pets and belongings in backpacks
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At Lake Lure, love wins
Despite the devastation in Lake Lure, which is full of debris, a love story prevailed, the News & Observer reported.
Sereyna Bianchi and Gavin Walker were married Saturday night, originally planned at Morse Park before it was destroyed by floodwaters. The ceremony was held at The 1927 Lake Lure Inn. Over half the guest list was unable to attend. Images show the bride taking selfies with National Guardsmen.
“It never really occurred to me we would not do it,” said Bianchi, a Raleigh graphic designer.
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Lindsey Banks is a staff reporter with The Charlotte Ledger. Reach her at lindsey@cltledger.com.
How to help
Many organizations have deployed groups across the region, tasked with distributing food, water and supplies. You can donate to their efforts at the links below.
Hearts with Hands, a local disaster relief organization, has a donation page to provide food, supplies and water.
United Way of North Carolina has established a fund to help residents affected by the flooding.
The American Red Cross is accepting donations to help residents in the Southeast.
Samaritan’s Purse, which is headquartered in Boone, is scheduling volunteers to help with debris cleanup.
Operation Blessing has a donation page to provide food, supplies and water.
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman