Flooding caused by unprecedented levels of rainfall, climate center says
Communities in the mountains and southern foothills of North Carolina have been devastated by historic flooding, caused by some of the highest river levels and heaviest rainfall ever seen in the region.
Official figures underline just how extraordinary the last few days have been: the North Carolina State Climate Office at North Carolina State University said in an update this week that 24.41 inches of rain fell on its weather station on Mount Mitchell.
This amount is "off the charts," the climate center said — 16.5 inches would be considered a once-in-1,000-years event, it added.
Unverified data from the North Carolina Forest Service station in Busick showed that it received 31.33 inches, between Sept. 25 and Sept. 27.
Communication with the weather station at Asheville Regional Airport was lost Friday morning, but by that point it had already reported 13.98 inches of rain.
The state’s record for deaths during a tropical event — about 80, during a flood in July 1916 — could be broken along with several other unwelcome records, the climate office said.
Hope fades for Tennessee dad, feared swept away by floodwaters
A Tennessee man said he was still clinging on to hope that his dad would be found alive, four days after he went missing in Jonesborough, but those hopes were "starting to dwindle."
“You’re feeling helpless and you’re not even the person missing, so you can only imagine how helpless they felt in their situation,” Matt Cloyd told NBC affiliate WBIR of Knoxville yesterday.
His father, Steve, is feared to have been swept away in the fast-moving Nolichucky River. His dog was found alive and his Jeep found half a mile away from his home.
"It's like losing a loved one, but not knowing if you've actually gone," Cloyd said. "I just wish we'd had more time. I just hope that somehow, some way, we find you. And if you are watching and you are out there, just know that we loved you."
Dad walks miles to make daughter’s wedding after Helene
David Jones was stuck at a bridge that had been washed away as he tried to drive to his daughter’s wedding in Johnson City, Tennessee. So the marathon runner decided to walk the rest of the way. Frances Rivera has the full story on "Early TODAY."
Local businesses clear away debris in Asheville
Lucas Ross, left, and Nathan Joudry clear mud and debris from Casablanca Cigar Bar in Asheville, North Carolina, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene yesterday.
1.3 million energy customers still without power
While the lights are back on in some communities, the wait goes on for many.
More than 1.3 million energy customers are still in the dark as of 4 a.m. ET today.
Almost 500,000 customers are out in South Carolina, followed by almost 380,00 in Georgia and almost 350,000 in North Carolina.
Some 4 million customers were without power in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Drinking water crisis in North Carolina, days after flooding disaster
Access to water is a critical need in western North Carolina as the region struggles days after the flooding disaster caused by Hurricane Helene. Many of the pipes that deliver the water were washed away. Some families are still trying to get in touch with loved ones who haven’t been heard from. NBC News’ Sam Brock reports.