Biltmore Estate in Asheville shows “significant” damage in some areas after Helene slams North Carolina

CNN
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The 8,000-acre Biltmore Estate, Asheville's biggest attraction that welcomes 1.4 million visitors each year, suffered significant damage to some buildings after Helene raced through western North Carolina, Biltmore said.

“We are still assessing the impact of Tropical Storm Helene on the property and this will take some time,” Biltmore said in a statement Thursday.

The property is home to the Biltmore House, America's largest private home. The 250-room house, as well as the property's winery, conservatory and hotels, “received minimal or no damage from the storm,” Biltmore said.

But lower-lying parts of the property, including the entrance and farm, “experienced significant flooding and damage to structures,” Biltmore said. “Unfortunately we lost some of our animals during the storm, but the vast majority are safe and accounted for.”

In the wooded areas, which “make up a large portion of the property, there is significant wind damage to properties and some buildings,” Biltmore said. “Emergency crews have worked tirelessly to clear the roads so we can begin repairs.”

It's not clear when the property will reopen, but “initial assessments suggest the property will remain closed to guests through at least October 15,” the Biltmore said on its website. “We will continue to provide updates on operations beyond this date as they become available.”

Biltmore Estate lies in Buncombe County, the unexpected epicenter of Helene's death and destruction. As of Friday, at least 72 victims had died in Buncombe County and about 78,000 homes and businesses there still had no power a week after Helene's deadly rampage.

The substation that supplies Biltmore Village, a popular tourist destination just outside the property, has suffered catastrophic damage and will take months to repair, regional energy company Duke Energy said Friday.

“The waterline goes almost to the top of this substation,” said Duke Energy spokesman Bill Norton. “Repairing this substation alone will take three to four months. Of course, we're not going to keep these customers away for three or four months. So what we did was drive in a 200,000 pound mobile substation.”

The mobile substation is expected to have power until Sunday. “We’re digging out new places for the wiring to be safely underground,” Norton said.

About 105,000 homes and businesses in western North Carolina will experience “long-term” power outages after Helene demolished key infrastructure, Norton said.

As for repairs to the Biltmore Village substation, which will take months to repair, Norton said crews will attempt to “rebuild it at a higher level above the flood wall surrounding it.”