Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina Friday, September 27, 2024, after the region was already saturated with rain, causing mudslides and flooding that destroyed homes, businesses, and communities. Rainfall in WNC over the course of three days ranged from 12 inches to more than 31 inches. Mount Mitchell received 24 inches of rain.
Hurricane Helene’s path of destruction was nearly 500 miles. The estimated damage in North Carolina alone is over $53 billion, with over 100 reported deaths and more than 100,000 homes damaged. About 577,000 people, a fifth of the population living in the 27 counties in North Carolina under major disaster declaration had a “high social vulnerability to disasters”, those with a greater share of older adults, people with disabilities, and those living in mobile homes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Community Resilience estimates.
The North Carolina Forest Service reported that in the 18 counties most affected, Helene caused about $214 million in timber damage. The worst damage was in Buncombe and McDowell Counties, followed by Avery, Mitchell, Henderson, and Yancey Counties. There was evidence of 80-100 mph winds in places. A survey found that on south facing slopes, there was near total destruction of standing timber. In the two national forests, the Nantahala and the Pisgah, the USDA said nearly 900 miles of Forest Service managed roads were damaged, and some 800 miles of trails were damaged.
Such widespread damage results in a loss of wildlife habitat and allows invasive species to thrive. Some areas of habitat will take decades to recover. Biologists are assessing the damage to aquatic habitats. The level of sediment and debris washed into the rivers and streams will likely cause water quality issues for months. A state fish hatchery in McDowell County suffered significant damage, losing all 600,000 fish. The Eastern Hellbender, a rare salamander and the largest amphibian in North America, is at risk as its habitat was devasted by Helene. Other at-risk species include the southern bog turtle, Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander, and the Carolina northern flying squirrel.