The Wrath of Hurricane Helene
As a native Ashevillian who lived on the coast of North Carolina, I witnessed many hurricanes over a period of 25 years.
Yet I have never, ever, experienced any storm with such an intense magnitude as Helene.
The devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to the mountains is nothing short of a hellish nightmare—something I can only compare to a war zone. Global warming is real!
Nothing could have prepared any city, township, or person for the wrath of Hurricane Helene.
Many areas of western North Carolina were obliterated by Hurricane Helene’s fury. When the horrendous winds and flooding waters came rushing down, everything in her path was gone—literally. The force of the angry waters and winds swept homes and businesses from their foundations and sent buildings, mammoth trees, 18-wheelers, and—most tragically—people floating downstream.
Coincidentally, if the Corp of Engineers, along with other federal and NC state agencies, would consider dredging the Swannanoa River, this could help alleviate some of the flooding.
Many area residents are still missing due to the flooding.
During the immediate aftermath of the storm, survivors frantically looked for cellular service. They gathered in front of grocery stores to get any live signal they could in order to contact loved ones, or let family know they were amongst the living. A small saving grace for many of us affected by the storm was that we had no electricity—thus no television to witness this massive disaster happening around us, which would have surely caused even a greater panic!
Now, after the storm, we can reflect on its impact and gauge the steady, if slow, recovery that is returning western NC to—if not normalcy—a pale reflection of our previous lives.
Recovery Resources
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