Asheville, N.C., a historic village in western North Carolina, is facing devastating flooding damage from Hurricane Helene. The French Broad River has overflowed, causing water levels to rise several feet high and submerge parts of the city, including the renowned Biltmore Village. Residents are shocked by the severity of the flooding and are heartbroken by the loss and destruction caused by the storm.
With a population of 95,000 residents, Asheville is 140 miles west of Charlotte. Many are blaming climate change for the destruction, emphasizing the need for immediate action to address its impacts. Hurricane Helene has left a trail of destruction in the southern U.S., with at least 42 confirmed deaths and millions of customers without power in several states.
The storm, now a post-tropical depression, continues to wreak havoc in the southeast, leading to dangerous situations like the stranding of over 50 people in a Tennessee hospital due to rising water levels. President Biden has already approved emergency declarations for several affected states and ordered the deployment of federal personnel for search and rescue operations, medical assistance, and power restoration.
Several states, including Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, and South Carolina, will receive federal assistance to recover from the storm’s impact. The devastation caused by Hurricane Helene serves as a reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and its catastrophic consequences.
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