Five tropical storm-related deaths in the county

(This article is being updated.)

Relief efforts continue in western North Carolina, where a major disaster caused by Tropical Storm Helene has devastated communities, left roads impassable and thousands without power.

Check back for live updates arriving throughout the day on Sunday.

Water and utility distribution on Monday

A news release from Henderson County Monday morning provides information on how residents can receive relief.

Beginning Monday, September 30 at noon, Henderson County will distribute water and additional supplies to those in need at six Resource Hub locations throughout the county.

The drive-thru resource centers will be open Monday from noon to 6 p.m. and will distribute supplies throughout the day as they become available.

Etowah Elementary School20 Etowah School Road, Etowah
rugby middle school, 3345 Haywood Road, Hendersonville
East Henderson High School150 Eagle Pride Drive, East Flat Rock
North Henderson High School35 Fruitland Road, Hendersonville
Mills River City Hall124 Town Center Drive, Mills River
Fletcher Town Hall300 Old Cane Creek Road, Fletcher

Each family unit receives supplies for a daily meal and water if available. To ensure an efficient process, individuals are asked to enter the drive-thru resource centers and remain in their cars unless volunteers direct otherwise.

To keep the resource centers running smoothly, efficiently and safely, we ask the public to be patient while they wait for their deliveries. The Resource Hub is currently only scheduled to operate today. Details on future resource distribution and instructions on accepting donations from the general public will be communicated by the county as information becomes available.

Court proceedings were delayed

Catastrophic conditions in western North Carolina following Tropical Storm Helene have prompted North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby to issue an order extending the deadline and statute of limitations for filings and actions in affected counties.

All pleadings, motions, notices and other documents that should be filed between September 26th and October 14th will be deemed timely if filed by the close of business on October 14th. The order also covers all actions that were to be completed between these dates in civil, criminal, probate and special proceedings.

Affected counties include: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga , Wilkes and Yancey.

Rodeo Carolina has been postponed due to storms

Rodeo Carolina, which was scheduled to take place October 2-5 in Mill Spring, North Carolina at the Tryon International Equestrian Center and Resort, has been postponed to October 30-November 30. 2, because of the storm.

Tickets for the rescheduled date will be honored. Anyone who would like a refund can request a refund here until October 14th.

Delta and United will resume flights on Monday

Asheville Regional Airport spokeswoman Tina Kinsey shared several updates:

Delta plans to resume flights tomorrow morning.
United Airlines plans to resume flights tomorrow morning.
American Airlines hopes to continue with incoming/arriving flights this evening (last arrivals on their schedule).

Please remember: flight status can change at any time. Stay in close contact with your airline to check the status of your flight before coming to the airport.

Also: Do you have an arriving loved one who needs a ride from the airport? Ground transportation providers (taxis, Ubers, Lyfts and others) are experiencing the same fuel shortages as all of us in WNC. If possible, plan to pick up your arriving friends and family.

Duke Energy: Electricity is expected by Friday

In a statement, Duke Energy said power is expected to be restored to most customers no later than Friday evening. However, repair efforts are so widespread that estimated recovery times have been provided for very few areas.

As of approximately 12:30 p.m., Duke Energy reported the following numbers for the WNC counties:

Avery – 60% (805) of customers without power
Buncombe – 64% (95,182) of customers without power
Burke – 75% (17,012) of customers without power
Caldwell – 72% (17,423) of customers without power
Catawba – 24% (18,412) of customers without power
Cleveland – 85% (28,211) of customers without power. Estimated time of restoration: September 29th, 11:45 p.m
Haywood – 35% (8,837) of customers without power
Henderson – 100% (69,195) of customers without power
Jackson – 30% (8,329) of customers without power
Macon – 15% (4,044) of customers without power
Madison – 62% (404) of customers without power
McDowell – 93% (18,443) of customers without power
Mitchell – 84% (4,700) of customers without power
Polk – 32% (11,451) of customers without power
Rutherford – 90% (25,843) of customers without power
Transylvania – 79% (13,246) of customers without power
Wilkes – 32% (9,615) of customers without power
Yancey – 73% (472) of customers without power

Two emergency shelters are opening in Henderson County

During a media briefing Sunday, Henderson County Manager John Mitchell encouraged residents to stay home if possible to clear roads for first responders. Avoid driving over downed power lines when traveling.

He also shared the following information:

Two shelters are now open in the county: the Henderson County Athletics and Activity Center at 708 S. Grove Street and Edneyville Elementary School at 2875 Pace Road.
Limited water and supplies are available at Mills River Town Hall.
In an emergency, call 911. For all other information or non-urgent concerns, call 828-771-6670.
Henderson County Schools will remain closed until further notice.

Five confirmed deaths in Henderson County

Henderson County spokesman Mike Morgan confirmed there have been five deaths in the county related to Tropical Storm Helene.

Nearly 464,000 customers are without power in North Carolina

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said during a news conference Sunday that nearly 464,000 customers were without power due to catastrophic damage from Tropical Storm Helene. This is down from a peak of more than one million, Cooper added.

The map below shows where people are without power in western North Carolina.

What's open in Western North Carolina?

The following grocery stores are open near Asheville:

Feed lion: 179 Paragon Pkwy, Clyde, NC
Trader Joe's: 120 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
English markets (Cash only): 575 New Leicester Hwy, Asheville, NC
Walmart: 1636 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, NC
Publix: 165 Weaver Boulevard, Weaverville, NC

Here's our guide to where to find grocery stores and gas stations across the state.

There is still no cell service in western North Carolina

Major wireless carriers — AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon — are actively working to restore service, although none have provided a specific timeline for full restoration.

AT&T has announced that from September 27 through October 27, it will waive talk, text and data overage charges for AT&T postpaid and prepaid customers with billing addresses in 1,415 affected zip codes. Fees for landline and business orders placed by October 27th will also be waived.

Verizon is waiving postpaid use of domestic calls, texts and data from September 26th to October 5th.

Record rain in Asheville

National Weather Service meteorologist Doug Outlaw told Citizen Times that the amount of precipitation WNC recorded surpassed the previous September record in just three days.

Here are the rainfall amounts recorded for several WNC areas between September 25th and 27th, according to NWS records:

Spruce Pine – 24.12 inchesHendersonville – 21.96 inchesCandler – 16.18 inchesGrandfather Mountain – 15.42 inchesAsheville – 17.31 inchesWoodfin – 6.17 inchesBat Cave – 6.88 inchesLake Lure – 7.24 inchesMills River – 12.16 inchesSwannanoa – 13.21 inches

Scattered showers are expected tonight

After several days of devastating flooding in WNC, flood and flash flood warnings are beginning to end. In Asheville, a flood warning for the Swannanoa River at Biltmore affecting Buncombe County remains active until September 29 at 1:00 p.m.

A few isolated showers are expected this evening – and although rainfall amounts are expected to remain light this time – less than an inch in Asheville – the National Weather Service warned that isolated excessive runoff is possible in areas affected by heavy rainfall and flooding have suffered.

Travel is nearly impossible in western North Carolina

At least 200 roads have been closed in North Carolina since Sunday morning, including Interstate 40 and Interstate 26 on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, according to the state's road closure map. The closure of I-40 near the state line is described as long-term. I-40 is also closed at Old Fort Mountain. NCDOT estimates it will reopen there on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at noon.

Five tropical storm-related deaths in the county

Water and utility distribution on Monday

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Five tropical storm-related deaths in the county

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