The Blubber

A crisis unfolded in western North Carolina as officials worked to deliver water, food, and other supplies to flood-stricken areas left without power and cellular service on Monday, days after Hurricane Helene devastated the southeastern U.S. The death toll from the storm is nearing 100.

At least 91 people have died across several states, with one North Carolina county, which includes the mountain city of Asheville, reporting 30 fatalities.

Governor Roy Cooper warned that the death toll would likely rise as rescuers and emergency crews reached areas cut off by collapsed roads, damaged infrastructure, and widespread flooding.

Efforts were underway to airlift supplies to the Asheville area. Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder assured residents that food and water would reach the city by Monday, four days after Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend as a Category 4 hurricane.

"We hear you. We need food and we need water," Pinder said during a Sunday call with reporters.

"My staff has been making every possible request to the state for help, and we’ve been coordinating with every organization offering support. I can promise you, we are very close."

Officials cautioned that rebuilding from the widespread destruction of homes and property would be a long and difficult process. The storm has severely disrupted life across the southeast, with fatalities also reported in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.

"I want to remind all North Carolinians that conditions on the ground remain extremely dangerous, even as flooding has started to recede and will continue to do so," said William Ray-North, North Carolina's emergency management director, on Sunday.

Roads have been damaged, power lines are down, and the ground remains unstable. Rivers in the mountains are swollen with rainwater, and flooding may take time to fully subside, he added.

"We ask people not to venture into storm-affected areas, whether to check on property, loved ones, or just to sightsee," Ray-North said. "Not only could you be putting yourself in danger, but you might also interfere with emergency responders or repair crews."

Governor Cooper urged western North Carolina residents to avoid traveling for their own safety and to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. More than 50 search teams were deployed across the region, searching for stranded residents.

One major rescue effort saved 41 people north of Asheville, while another mission focused on saving a single infant. Search teams located people through 911 calls and social media messages, according to North Carolina National Guard Adjutant General Todd Hunt.