A historic village in western North Carolina, Asheville’s Biltmore Village, has been devastated by flooding from Hurricane Helene, with water levels reaching several feet high. The French Broad River rose above its banks in the River Arts District, causing widespread destruction. Asheville, with a population of 95,000, is located about 140 miles west of Charlotte. Residents are shocked by the extent of the damage, with one man attributing it partly to climate change and calling for action to address it.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Georgia, leading to at least 42 confirmed deaths and 3.3 million customers without power in several southern states. The storm has severely impacted the southeast region, leaving more than 50 people stranded at an eastern Tennessee hospital. President Joe Biden has approved emergency declaration requests from governors of affected states and has ordered over 1,500 federal personnel, including search and rescue teams, to be deployed to the region.
Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina will receive federal assistance following the storm, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. The aftermath of Hurricane Helene serves as a stark reminder of the need to address climate change and its impacts on communities vulnerable to extreme weather events.
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