Kayakers work to help devastated community

100 MILES OF POWER LINES.

>> SO IT'S A BIG JOB TO REPAIR

A LOT. YEAH, NO KIDDING.

OKAY. THE DEVASTATION ACROSS

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

CONTINUES TO GROW ROADS.

RIVERS NOW UNRECOGNIZABLE.

THIS IS VIDEO FROM ONE KAYAKER

IN THE PERSON FALLS AREA.

>> WRAL'S ERIC MILLER SPOKE

WITH HIM ABOUT HOW HE'S USING

HIS PADDLING SKILLS TO REACH

COMMUNITIES, CUT OFF FROM THE

OUTSIDE.

>> THE PERSON FALLS AREA IS ONE

OF THE HARDEST HIT PARTS OF

SALUDA. JUST TAKE A LOOK AT

THIS HOUSE HERE BEHIND ME.

ABSOLUTELY SMASHED BY A CREEK

LESS THAN 5 FEET ACROSS NOW,

DESPITE HOW DIRE THINGS ARE

HERE, THIS TINY COMMUNITY IS

DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN TO HELP

SURVIVORS FROM THE GROUND TO

THE WATER.

PROFESSIONAL KAYAKER MACEAN

HARGROVE IS USED TO PADDLING

ENDEARING IN

DANGEROUS PLACES.

>> WE NEVER EXPECTED THE GREEN

RIVER TO BECOME ONE OF THE TO

THE RIVERS ARE EVEN

RECOGNIZABLE ANYMORE.

AND CELINE HIT HARGROVE.

HE'S BEEN ON THE FRONT LINES

USING HIS PADDLING SKILLS TO

REACH COMMUNITIES LIKE GREEN

RIVER COVE DO COMPLETELY CUT

OFF FROM THE OUTSIDE ARE, BUT

OVER 100 POUNDS AND PADDLING

DOWN THE NARROW AS AND WALKING

A LOT JUST TO GET THEM FOOD

AND DO WELLNESS CHECKS ON

PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE OK

WELL FOR GROWTH AND FELLOW

PADDLER DANE JACKSON NAVIGATING

BURIED HELL'S ISN'T COURSE PIE

ON RIVERS FILLED WITH HIDDEN

HAZARDS. BUT YES, WE'RE TRYING

TO GET DOWN THERE AS QUICKLY AS

POSSIBLE. BUT WE ALSO

>> GETTING OUT MAKING SURE

WE'RE SCOUTING EACH RAPID

BEFORE GOING DOWN IT FOR GROVE

IS PART OF A VOLUNTEER ARMY

THAT'S COME TOGETHER IN SALUDA.

>> ORGANIZED IN PART BY ERICA

SHAKES. SO WE JUST KNEW THAT

WE NEED TO BOOTS ON THE GROUND

TO GET IN THERE TO SEE WHAT

HAPPENED. SHANKS, WHO WORKS

FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY

GROUP MOUNTAIN. TRUE. SO

COLLECT AND ORGANIZE A MOUNTAIN

OF FOOD AND WATER. BRIDGING

THE GAP BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND

WE DOUBLE THE AID. FINALLY

STARTING TO LIFE WEDNESDAY,

THOSE DONATIONS THAT HAVE COME

IN ARE NOW GOING TO KIND OF

WRAP THAT UP AND PUSHED THOSE

OUT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT

NEED IT OKAY TO THE STATE WILL

ISSUE TO THIS COMMUNITY AND

YOU SEE THE DAMAGE. YOU CAN'T

SELL LIKE YOU SAY YOU HAVE TO

KEEP GOING UNTIL EVERYONE'S

OK AND EVERYONE IS

SELF-SUFFICIENT AGAIN. TOWN

OFFICIALS STILL HAVE NO COUNT

ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND

SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS

ARE STILL ONGOING TONIGHT.

>> THERE'S NO WORD ON HOW LONG

THOSE OPERATIONS WILL LAST.