Asheville and Western NC, TN, and SC damage from Helene [Staff Warning]

88,845 Views | 575 Replies | Last: 1 mo ago by Independence H-D
HumpitPuryear
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zooguy96 said:

I'd estimate there are going to be a lot more bodies found as they get into those areas.

Was listening to amateur radio in the area. someone was asking about a particular road that was supposedly taken out by mud slide. Net operator confirmed the road was gone along with the whole neighborhood adjacent to it. They are going to be finding bodies for a while.

The big llano river flooding in 2018 washed away some campers on the south llano at Junction. One of the bodies was found in our cove on lake lbj a week later after the second flood and 85 miles from where she was camping. Water is a powerful force of nature
torrid
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MooreTrucker said:

torrid said:

MooreTrucker said:

I don't know about others, but I don't think there's much of Chimney Rock to rebuild on.
Lake Lure and Chimney Rock are big tourist draws. They will be rebuilt.
I hope so. They are beautiful charming little villages.
Tourism is THE economy in that part of the state.

About ten years ago there were bad wildfires in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge areas, fires typically more associated with the open West than east of the Mississippi. Even before the infrastructure was fully repaired, they were encouraging people just to come out for a day. Just make a quick visit to Dollywood. They were desperate and eager for the tourism business to return.

I'm sure we'll see the same here, but probably with a longer recovery time.

I make a pilgrimage out to the NC mountains every year to see the fall colors. My favorite spot is the the Parkway by Grandfather Mountain. This year I'm looking at heading north, maybe into WV or Pennsylvania instead. I'm eager to return to the NC mountains next year.
MooreTrucker
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I may have missed it, but how did the Biltmore Estate and that area fare in all of this? That was another place we visited last month.
AtticusMatlock
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MooreTrucker said:

I may have missed it, but how did the Biltmore Estate and that area fare in all of this? That was another place we visited last month.


I don't know about the estate itself but Biltmore Village was half underwater.
zooguy96
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MooreTrucker said:

I may have missed it, but how did the Biltmore Estate and that area fare in all of this? That was another place we visited last month.


I read that they were without power. Other than that, no clue. We've been there a million times. Really beautiful area.
aggiehawg
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Quote:

Biltmore Village did not escape unscathed. Citizen Times reported that the village was submerged under almost 25 feet of water. The catastrophic flooding happened after the French Broad River overflowed.
LINK
atmtws
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Biltmore is built more higher than the village on the side of a mountain. No flooding, but I'm sure they had some leaks. They're closed until 10/15 according to their IG.
/W\ Saw 'Em Off! /W\
BTHO tu.
torrid
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atmtws said:

Biltmore is built more higher than the village on the side of a mountain. No flooding, but I'm sure they had some leaks. They're closed until 10/15 according to their IG.
Biltmore Estate. Biltmore Village are the shops and restaurants by the entrance. It was hit pretty hard, but again the tourist dollars will rebuilt it.

I don't know what it costs to tour the estate these days, probably close to $100.
MooreTrucker
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torrid said:

atmtws said:

Biltmore is built more higher than the village on the side of a mountain. No flooding, but I'm sure they had some leaks. They're closed until 10/15 according to their IG.
Biltmore Estate. Biltmore Village are the shops and restaurants by the entrance. It was hit pretty hard, but again the tourist dollars will rebuilt it.

I don't know what it costs to tour the estate these days, probably close to $100.
$85
schmellba99
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Nanomachines son said:

Sq 17 said:

Nobody is ever prepared for 15 + inches of rain


This was way higher than 15". A few mountain top areas got 40+". It's why so many videos are of washouts and more. Mountain rain with flash flooding is far more vicious than flat plain flooding like during Harvey.
That depends solely on your point of view and current stuation.

In the grand scheme of things - devastating flooding is devastating flooding.
torrid
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schmellba99 said:

Nanomachines son said:

Sq 17 said:

Nobody is ever prepared for 15 + inches of rain


This was way higher than 15". A few mountain top areas got 40+". It's why so many videos are of washouts and more. Mountain rain with flash flooding is far more vicious than flat plain flooding like during Harvey.
That depends solely on your point of view and current stuation.

In the grand scheme of things - devastating flooding is devastating flooding.
Seems like with a mountain flood you'd have a much shorter path to high ground. May not matter in a sudden flash flood though.
usmcbrooks
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Is the Biltmore Estate flooded?
jr15aggie
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Just last week we booked a trip to Ashville for early November. Staying at the Omni a couple nights and at the Biltmore the other 2. No idea what to expect or if it will even happen now... I guess we will find out more in a couple weeks or so.

My heart goes out to all those people... so sad!
aggiehawg
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Quote:

On September 30, the Biltmore Estate posted an update on its website noting that it was temporarily closed.

"We are assessing damage from the storm and will update this page as we work to safely reopen," the webpage reads. They also noted that cellular service and Internet access is also impacted, so it may be tough to reach the estate at this time.
MarkTwain
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“Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience" - Mark Twain
zooguy96
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Elon Musk is a badass.
Nanomachines son
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schmellba99 said:

Nanomachines son said:

Sq 17 said:

Nobody is ever prepared for 15 + inches of rain


This was way higher than 15". A few mountain top areas got 40+". It's why so many videos are of washouts and more. Mountain rain with flash flooding is far more vicious than flat plain flooding like during Harvey.
That depends solely on your point of view and current stuation.

In the grand scheme of things - devastating flooding is devastating flooding.


Eh, young can save framing from something like Harvey, just let it dry out. Mountain flash flooding is more like a tsunami and sweeps away buildings, roads, etc. Many areas have been scoured down to dirt, there isn't even a concrete slab left. And this isn't considering the mudslides.

Harvey level rain in the mountains is a horrific combination.
Krombopulos Michael
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Krombopulos Michael
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Quote:

Quote:

HOW TO MEASURE A STORM'S FURY ONE BREAKFAST AT A TIME

When a hurricane makes landfall, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency relies on a couple of metrics to assess its destructive power.

First, there is the well-known Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. Then there is what he calls the "Waffle House Index."

Green means the restaurant is serving a full menu, a signal that damage in an area is limited and the lights are on.

Yellow means a limited menu, indicating power from a generator, at best, and low food supplies.

Red means the restaurant is closed, a sign of severe damage in the area or unsafe conditions.


"If you get there and the Waffle House is closed?" FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has said. "That's really bad. That's where you go to work."



Waffle House Inc. has 1,600 restaurants stretching from the mid-Atlantic to Florida and across the Gulf Coast, leaving it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. Other businesses, of course, strive to reopen as quickly as possible after disasters. But the Waffle House, which spends almost nothing on advertising, has built a marketing strategy around the goodwill gained from being open when customers are most desperate.

During Hurricane Irene, Waffle House lost power to 22 restaurants in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. By Wednesday evening, all but one in hard-hit coastal Virginia were back in business.......


[url=https://www.wafflehouse.com/how-to-measure-a-storms-fury-one-breakfast-at-a-time/][/url]https://www.wafflehouse.com/how-to-measure-a-storms-fury-one-breakfast-at-a-time/
[url=https://www.wafflehouse.com/how-to-measure-a-storms-fury-one-breakfast-at-a-time/][/url]


Quote:

Quote:
The term was coined by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate in May 2011 following the 2011 Joplin tornado, during which the two Waffle House restaurants in Joplin remained open.

The measure is based on Waffle House's reputation for staying open during extreme weather and for reopening quickly, albeit sometimes with a limited menu, after very severe weather events such as tornadoes or hurricanes. The chain's disaster preparedness measures include assembling and training "Waffle House jump teams" to facilitate fast reopening after disasters. Waffle House, along with other chains (such as Home Depot, Walmart, and Lowe's) which do a significant proportion of their business in the southern US where there is a frequent risk of hurricanes, have good risk management and disaster preparedness. Because of this, and the fact that a cut-down menu is prepared for times when there is no power or limited supplies, the Waffle House Index rarely reaches the red level.

wiki
aggiehawg
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As a kid in the 60's, America was great at banding together to get crap done.

NASCAR and Elon Musk? We are returning to 'Merica! Yeah!
Kentucky Jeff
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torrid said:

schmellba99 said:

Nanomachines son said:

Sq 17 said:

Nobody is ever prepared for 15 + inches of rain


This was way higher than 15". A few mountain top areas got 40+". It's why so many videos are of washouts and more. Mountain rain with flash flooding is far more vicious than flat plain flooding like during Harvey.
That depends solely on your point of view and current stuation.

In the grand scheme of things - devastating flooding is devastating flooding.
Seems like with a mountain flood you'd have a much shorter path to high ground. May not matter in a sudden flash flood though.


Conceptually, yeah you'd think it would be rather easy to get to high ground. The problem in that area is that you would have to scale a ridge to get to high ground. There were towns in which the citizenry was trapped without an escape route once the water got to a certain level.
torrid
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usmcbrooks said:

Is the Biltmore Estate flooded?
No, not the big fancy mansion and elaborate grounds. Outside the front entrance is a touristy area of shops and restaurants that was completely swamped. It will undoubtedly be rebuilt.
Independence H-D
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IL-WR1 made it into a secluded and cut-off neighborhood off a mountain road yesterday. We were the first members of any fire or search and rescue group the approximate 300 residents had seen since the storm began. A large line of residents formed as we checked in with each family, assessing their needs and if they were ok. The residents had made detailed maps of their neighborhood for us to start our well-being checks on the ones that needed medical evaluation and well-being checks. IL-WR1 systematically checked the neighborhood going to door to door.


Independence H-D
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Daily search efforts continue in the Garren Creek Fire District, focusing on locating Fairview, NC residents. The Alabama teams operate from sunrise to sunset, striving to bring closure to families and provide critical rescue services. We are systematically searching large areas and monitoring families without external communication. The AL-TF1 K9 team was deployed on Saturday to support our search and rescue operations.







Independence H-D
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All of this can be found here

https://www.facebook.com/share/GZ1dyVhYnjkJPQYN/?mibextid=qi2Omg
Nanomachines son
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Wow! That is going to take a long long time to fix.
Independence H-D
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Texas A&M Task Force One

Members of Texas A&M Task Force 1 (TX-TF1) worked again today in Yancey County, North Carolina. The mission today was wide-area search and providing logistic support (delivering much needed supplies) to the residents of the county. Our team shared that the residents have been very friendly and gracious.

The team has returned to their base of operations tonight and where they destroyed a meal of tacos and all the fixins' (It is Tuesday and National Taco Day!). Wishing them all a solid night's rest before the head out again, for more of the same, tomorrow. We are proud of the way you are representing our task force and the Great State of Texas! #TXTF1, #TEEX
Independence H-D
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Pinochet
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Operation Airdrop has taken in over 150,000 lbs of supplies (none from FEMA or the gov, all donated by people and companies to a temporary facility set up in a Walmart parking lot) and moved it to an airport outside Charlotte. They have distributed 120,000 lbs to satellite facilities. They have also been working with Greg Biffle and others to get the Starlinks distributed. The 500 that Biffle mentioned is not all of them. Polaris and other local companies have also stepped up to provide generators, chainsaws, etc. Walmart has said they'll have a truckload arriving tomorrow and NASCAR is also bringing more. This is a truly monumental amount of private donations and private effort. The Feds tried in Asheville and the NG gave up because there is no power there.

Private helicopters are coordinating SAR and other supply drops out of Hickory. Again, the Feds are nowhere to be found at this point but NC local gov is at least not being jackasses and threatening arrest like other state officials.
nortex97
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Thx for all your team's work. Prayers for your safety, hopefully water levels dropping at this point/soon to manageable discharge rates etc.
Independence H-D
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Thank you. However, I am no longer with the organization. Wish I was as I loved the work. Still very passionate about the community.

Especially Texas A&M task force 1. The fact that the Texas department of emergency Management and some of the best training and facilities in the world is part of Texas A&M University System is a huge thing to be proud of that I wish more people had awareness of.
Aggie Jurist
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In just THREE DAYS….
At Concord Regional Airport:
Miracle Movers (they own up to the name lemme tell ya) trucked 250,000 lbs of supplies between Walmart and our hangar, HKY, SVH, and up the mountain
140,000 lbs of supplies have moved throughout the hangar alone at JQF
120,000 lbs have been moved by air
203 flights out of JQF
At Hickory:
- 26,000 lbs of supplies dropped
- 153 starlinks dropped
- 143 people saved
LGB
jteAg
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I was born and raised in Asheville. Still have brothers who live there. Have been in contact with them and my best friend who lives there. He said there is tremendous damage and death. Being raised there, I have seen floods there before, but NOTHING compares to this. My friend says there is a lot of help trying to get supplies and help in. Said 19 states and Canada helping out. Thankful for that and them.
Nanomachines son
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https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Ck3b5DxCFRPTb6pi/?mibextid=UalRPS

Not sure how true this but apparently the real need there is helicopters because there is no reliable way to reach many people in the mountains because communications and power are all down and the roads are gone.

I have seen many videos of people leaving on foot climbing over obliterated and washed roads. It's just incredible the sheer scale of the damage.

Warning: language in the video

Independence H-D
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Update: FEMA Urban Search & Rescue has activated 19 Human Remains Detection (HRD) Canines in addition to the teams already activated and on the ground working in support of Hurricane Helene.
The Canines came from the following task forces:
Missouri Task Force 1 (MO-TF1)
New York Task Force 1 (NY-TF1)
Massachusetts Task Force 1 (MA-TF1)
Virginia Task Force 1 (VA-TF1)
Florida Task Force 2 (FL-TF2)
Pennsylvania Task Force 1 (PA-TF1)
New Jersey Task Force 1 (NJ-TF1)
Nebraska Task Force 1 (NE-TF1)
Colorado Task Force 1 (CO-TF1)

The 19 Canines were broken down into 4 teams and assigned a Search Team Manager (STM). 4 STMs were also activated from the following task forces; New York Task Force 1 (NY-TF1), Florida Task Force 2 (FL-TF2), and Virginia Task Force 2 (VA-TF2). The STMs help manage the canine's assigned missions throughout the day.

They all arrived safely last night, bedded down for good night's rest and were ready for their assigned missions first thing this morning. Grateful they were all so willing to come out and help us assist the teams working the damaged areas of North Carolina. Be safe! Stay hydrated! And look out for one another!
 
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