Before this scenic, rustic Great Smoky Mountain refuge turned into a trap few residents saw coming, there were signs of Hurricane Helene’s unthinkable potential.

At least 40 people have died in Buncombe County as a result of Hurricane Helene and at least six other deaths have been confirmed in other areas of western North Carolina.

Flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Helene has devastated the mountain areas of western North Carolina, leaving a path of destruction and isolating many areas of the region. Over 400 roads are closed in the area,

After hitting Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 4 hurricane late last week, Helene tore through the Southeast, leaving dozens of people dead and millions without power, unleashing historic rain and flooding in parts of Georgia and the Carolinas.

See scenes of the massive devastation caused by flooding from Helene in the Lake Lure and Chimney Rock areas of North Carolina, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024.

Thousands of people in western North Carolina are in need of assistance after Tropical Storm Helene left swaths of destruction last week. Local efforts are in place to help those in need. This article will be updated with new donation opportunities.