North Carolina devastated by Helene

North Carolina was devastated by Hurricane Helene, as torrential rain flooded the western half of the state. The flood waters have left many communities isolated, including Marshall, N.C.

Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic flooding to parts of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. Floodwaters washed out roadways across western North Carolina, making it challenging to reach impacted communities. The video above shows the devastation in Marshall, N.C.

Rain totals from Helene amounted to a foot or more across the western half of North Carolina. Busick, N.C., saw an incredible 30.78 inches of rain Tuesday through Saturday morning. Over that same period, more than 20 inches was recorded in Spruce Pine and Hendersonville, N.C.

The death toll from Helene is now approaching 100 across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, with hundreds still missing in western North Carolina. Nearly 2 million homes and businesses remain without power across the Southeast.

Over the last 10 years, freshwater flooding (from rain) has been responsible for 57% of direct deaths from tropical systems in the U.S. When a tropical system is in the forecast, turn your weather alerts on and keep an eye on the WeatherRadar.