Hurricane Helene continues to leave a trail of destruction and devastation in the Southeast long after the actual storm has passed. With a combined death toll of 132 and nearly 600 missing as of Monday, families have been ripped apart. The effects of the catastrophic storm were fully evident as homes lay shattered, cargo containers crushed, and highways engulfed in mud. In Western North Carolina, infrastructure failures have plunged the area into crisis, leaving residents without power, water, and communication.
One resident from Black Mountain, Alyssa Hudson, shared her harrowing experience, stating, “There were bodies in trees. They were finding bodies under rubble.” She added that videos of her home had been shared on social media, revealing the extent of the destruction. Other residents, such as couple Kimberly and Jimmie Scott, braved the devastation to rescue their daughter from a nearby college where over 1,000 students were stranded without power.