At least 12 people were killed when Helene dumped heavy rain and brought deadly flooding in the Black Mountain area of Buncombe County, just east of Asheville.
The devastation in the Black Mountain area is very grim, where Wade Wright, chief of the Garren Creek Volunteer Fire Department, said at least 12 people have died in the area alone.
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WRAL News spoke with former UNC women's basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell, who now runs a blueberry farm near Black Mountain.
Hatchell, who stopped coaching in 2019, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2013. Proceeds from her pick-your-own blueberry farm go to support the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center.
"I don't think people realize how bad the situation is," Hatchell said on Tuesday. "I don't think we know yet. And they're looking. So many people are still missing."
Hatchell was hours away Friday when Helene dumped rain on her mountain home. She considers herself one of the fortunate people in the area, because her home is still standing. Her 400 blueberry bushes, however, are gone.
"I'm one of the fortunate ones because both of my cabins, they are okay," she said.
"But it's amazing to see how, out in front of my cabins, the blueberry farm that I have ... all the blueberry bushes are gone."
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Hatchell said her neighbors' homes washed away, and she does not know if they are alive.
"I've gotten to know a lot of them. What's devastating is that all those homes are gone," Hatchell said. "They have completely washed away, and the people were inside them when they washed away. and the people are gone too."
Hatchell said rescue crews have found bodies, but other people are still missing.
She also said a small village near her home has "completely washed away."
"Everybody's just so friendly and loves each other, and they all go to church together, and it's just a wonderful spirit up there," Hatchell said. "What breaks my heart is so many of the homes are washed away and the people were in them and those folks are no longer with us."
Since she is away from home, Hatchell has been relying on her local fire department for updates.
Hatchell wants to return home with supplies for her community but was advised to wait due to lack of road access and electricity. In the meantime, she has offered her cabins to people who have nowhere to go.
"I do have a generator," she said. "It'll run maybe 10 days, two weeks."
WRAL has a guide to how to help western N.C. residents.
By calling 211 or visiting nc211.org, families and individuals can obtain free and confidential information on health and human services and resources in their community. People trying to connect with family members can call NC 211 or 1-888-892-1162 if calling from out-of-state. People can also call those numbers to report missing loved ones.