As South Carolina and North Carolina continue to recover from the massive impacts of Helene, the following list will be updated as information comes in. **Live coverage above when available**Thursday updates: 10 p.m.Electric companies provide Thursday night updates9:44 p.m.Cherokee County, South Carolina Thursday updateWest End Baptist Church will give out pizza Thursday evening at 6 p.m. The church is located at 400 Overlook Drive in Gaffney.The South Carolina National Guard is going street by street to survey damage, looking for downed or leaning trees, power lines, damaged property and infrastructure, etc.Cherokee County and SCDOT opened 11 roads on Thursday, including some that had previously been cleared but had new trees or power lines fall on them:Dry Fork RoadWalker RoadStrawberry Road (be careful of low-hanging power line)Lookout Tower RoadKraft StreetThompson StreetCooper StreetOconee StreetMcGinnis RoadOakdale RoadWoods Farm RoadAt least 20 roads remain fully or partially closed.After scouting some bus routes Thursday, Cherokee County Schools said it will make a decision about next week by Sunday afternoon.There will be no Blacksburg High School game on Monday, and the fate of the Gaffney game is undecided but is unlikely.As of 5:30 p.m., about 36% of Cherokee County residents remained without power. The SC Forestry Commission will lift the burn ban on Cherokee County at 6 a.m. Friday.On Friday, the American Red Cross will open five feeding locations serving hot meals from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily as long as the need persists.These locations include:Central Baptist Church, 126 E. Church St., CowpensCherokee Creek Baptist, 501 Buck Shoals Road, GaffneyCorinth Baptist Church, 190 Corinth Road, GaffneyGaffney First Baptist, 200 N. Limestone St., GaffneyTessner’s Parking Lot, 204 W. Cherokee St., BlacksburgThe Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has included Cherokee County on its list of counties approved for the Individual Assistance program. This program provides direct financial assistance to residents who incurred uninsured damages to their property as a result of the storm. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses can begin applying for assistance by registering at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.OPENINGS AND CLOSINGSCherokee County and City of Gaffney offices are open regular business hours. Blacksburg offices remain closed.If you are interested in volunteering for disaster relief recovery - you can begin by calling the citizen hotline number. A CITIZEN HOTLINE has been set up 1-864-487-2587 to report damages and for information on food, water, shelter, and volunteer sign-up.The United Way’s Unmet Needs Help Line is another resource Cherokee County residents can utilize, reach them at (864) 860-1644.Cherokee School District has been canceled through Friday. There will also be no e-learning as well. No practices or after-school activities until further notice. Blacksburg High and Gaffney High football games this week are canceled. The stoplight at Highway 29 & Highway 5 in Blacksburg is on backup power and is currently working, but motorists are still advised to use caution.PLEASE NOTE: Be very careful when driving at night on secondary roads! Stay at home at night if possible.Cherokee County has begun limited garbage pickup. Please pull your carts to the road. Crews will pick up garbage on routes as they are able. Crews will run Monday's route on Friday. They will run Tuesday's route on Saturday. As of next Monday, pickup will follow normal routes (as roadways allow). The Landfill is open Monday - Saturday from 7:30 am - 6 pm. All items must be separated, no mixed loads. Everyone must cross scales - NO exceptions.South Carolina DMV has extended and waived late fees for registration renewal for September. This will be extended until November 1, 2024. County officials and SCDOT continue to work with a debris removal company to develop a countrywide debris removal program.To request volunteer assistance with trees blocking driveways or causing damage to cars and houses of the uninsured or elderly, please call the Citizens Hotline at 864-487-2587. NOTE: This assistance is not yet for debris removal or cleanup.Crimes committed during a state of emergency could be considered looting, and a person found guilty of this must be fined or imprisoned or both, at the discretion of the court.FOOD AND WATER DISTRIBUTIONFood and water distribution sites will open from 10 am - 5 pm. Instructions: Follow entry directions! Volunteers will load. DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR CAR!Blacksburg Location: Broad River Baptist Church, 419 W. Cherokee St.Please enter W. Lime St. (below Food Lion) off of Hwy 29, follow W Lime St. to S. Charleston St., turn left and then right into the church parking lot. Exit onto Hwy 29.Gaffney Location: Midway Recreation Complex Parking Lot, 580 Twin Lake Rd.Please enter Overbrook Dr. onto Twin Lake Rd. and follow directional signs into the parking lot.For the rest of the update, click here.9:34 p.m.Donations for North Carolina storm victimsSpartanburg County announced Whitley's Auto Auction at 1515 Locust Hill Road in Greer, South Carolina, will be accepting donations for western North Carolina storm victims from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4.County officials said, "While this has been a tough week in Spartanburg County, we understand that it could've been so much worse, and our hearts and prayers are with those in western North Carolina."8:55 p.m.Asheville man arrested after shooting at deputies during wellness check8:23 p.m.Duke Energy releases update on power restoration efforts8 p.m.Plane crashes at North Carolina airport7:50 p.m.Federal, State, and Local Agencies Collaborate to Surge Medical Support to Areas in Western North Carolina Hardest Hit by Hurricane HeleneSenior officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the State of North Carolina, Mission Hospital, and HCA Healthcare will discuss the collaboration between federal, state, and local partners to surge medical support in areas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene, including in Asheville and Spruce Pine, North Carolina. ASPR’s National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) teams are providing 24-hour care in medical tents for the influx of patients arriving to the emergency departments of Asheville’s Mission Hospital and Spruce Pine’s Blue Ridge Regional Hospital. At the request of the State of North Carolina, HHS deployed approximately 375 medical, public health, and disaster response personnel to help ensure the health needs of the people of North Carolina are met. In addition to the support at Mission and Blue Ridge Regional Hospitals, NDMS team are providing care at two state medical support shelters, one in Hickory and another in Mill Springs. An additional NDMS team is enroute to support the opening of an urgent care clinic.6:30 p.m.Asheville, North Carolina water restoration progress reportMeasurable progress has been made toward rebuilding Water Resources’ catastrophically damaged distribution and production systems. Materials, equipment and personnel are on the ground at all three water treatment plants.Mills River plant, which serves South Asheville, is functional, and equipment to push it to maximum output is online. A boil water advisory remains in effect for customers who have water service.6:17 p.m.Search underway for dangerous suspect in Asheville, North Carolina6:16 p.m.Temporary Debris Sites for Greenville CountyOfficials said these sites are for Greenville County residents only. You will be required to show ID and your load will be documented. This is mandatory for FEMA to do proper damage assessments.Residents can take vegetative debris (trees) to the following:Enoree (Eastside): 1311 Anderson Ridge Road, Greer, SC, 29651Simpsonville: 517 Hipps Road, Simpsonville, SC, 29690Blackberry Valley: 409 Blackberry Valley Road, Greenville, SC, 29617There is no size limit.There is no contractors or dump trailers.These sites will be closed Sunday and Monday. The hours of operation will be Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.5:58 p.m.Town of Biltmore, North Carolina UpdateHurricane Helene brought down a large number of trees at Biltmore Forest, which is a primary residential area. This was the main source of destruction for this community. All roads are currently accessible for emergency crews. The water system will require repairs once water systems are restored5:57 p.m.Town of Woodfin, North Carolina UpdateFood and Water Distribution will take place at the New Bridge Baptist Church at 199 Elkwood Avenue from 2-4 p.m. Donations will be accepted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A portion of donations to the church is being shuttled to Victory Baptist Church at 80 Olivette Rd, Asheville from 3-5 p.m. Anyone with special needs or with a welfare check request should visit Woodfin Town Hall at 90 Elk Mountain Road or call 828-253-4887 when cellular service is restored to the line. Trash and recycling collection will start on Friday. There is not current definitive timeline for when water can be restored at Woodfin. The town is hosting a briefing everyday at 1 p.m. at the Town Hall.5:55 p.m.Buncombe County, North Carolina UpdateBuncombe County has activated the One Buncombe Call Center for residents to report storm damage, access resources, and find storm-related information by calling (828) 250-6100. The call center will operate seven days a week.In Buncombe County, 72 lives have been lost due to Hurricane Helene. Solid Waste Services Waste Pro is resuming limited service in Weaverville on Friday where safe and accessible. Residents can drop off household trash (no storm debris) at North Buncombe Pool, 734 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Buncombe County Landfill will be open Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hazardous Materials Residents are advised to avoid river areas due to debris. The County has requested testing for hazardous materials through the state emergency operations center. Donation Center We have set up a warehouse at 6 Commerce Way in Arden to receive hurricane relief supplies. We can receive donations from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. daily. Any size vehicle is welcome. We have seven categories of things that we can accept, these include: Non-perishable, ready-to-eat food Bottled water Clean-up supplies Paper goods like toilet paper Baby supplies including formula Pet supplies Personal Care We cannot accept baby food, glass items, furniture, clothing, perishable food, electronics, and flammable liquids. We will not distribute from this location – these donations will go to community partners to distribute, so please do not come here to receive supplies.Mountain Mobility As long as patients are accessible, Mountain Mobility is resuming life-sustaining dialysis transport in coordination with dialysis centers. This will also help open hospital beds.Community Support for Unhoused Individuals Code Purple, a coordinated effort among Asheville and Buncombe County shelters and other organizations to provide emergency overflow shelter for unhoused individuals, was called prior to the storm with collaboration between City, County, and service providers to quickly outreach to folks on the street and attempt to get them to Code Purple locations before the storm hit. Many of them are still in those shelters for the time being, and County Community Paramedics along with City Community Responders have been making regular rounds to homeless service and permanent supportive housing provider locations to offer support and resources to residents and staff at those locations. Permits The Buncombe County Permits Office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Applications are accepted electronically at buncombecounty.org/permits. Special flood hazard area requirements may apply. Wi-Fi Access Free Wi-Fi is available at the North Asheville Library use the password “readmore” lowercase, no space. Other libraries include Pack Memorial, Enka-Candler and West Asheville. Pet Care MedVet Asheville, an emergency and specialty veterinary hospital, will be opening starting tomorrow Friday, Oct. 4 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and will be open those hours every day. They are located at 677 Brevard Road, Asheville, NC 28806. 5:46 p.m.Medical Group of the Carolinas Practice Closures The following practices will be closed on Friday, Oct. 4:Medical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – Cedar SpringsMedical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – DormanMedical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – InmanMedical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – PacoletMedical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – WoodruffGibbs Cancer Center – Gaffney – Closed5:44 p.m.South Carolina cleanup operations updateThe South Carolina Emergency Management Division remains at OPCON 1. There has been a total of 849 logistical requests. The requests range from shelter assistance to debris removal.Thousands of line workers are working to make power repairs. As of 2:00 p.m. 376,760 outages were reported. At the height of the storm over 1.4 million outages were reported.The South Carolina National Guard has activated more than 1,000 Soldiers and Airmen, and more than 30 vehicles and aircraft, including hoist and emergency aviation assets, debris removal and high-water vehicles. They have fielded 116 resource requests, completed 19 missions, and are currently executing 75 active missions. There are 14 chainsaw teams, 11 debris clearing teams, and nine Point of Distribution operation centers deployed across 14 counties in upstate South Carolina. The Florida National Guard and New York National Guard are also assisting with additional resources.Eleven general population shelters are currently in operation. View shelter information here. The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) has been in contact with 381 health care facilities to check on their power/electricity status and assist with any needs. DPH Care Line has received a total of 1,543 calls. DPH has distributed 1,347 oxygen tanks to county partners.Road safety remains a top priority. Highway Patrol Troopers and State Transport Police Officers with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety have responded to 6,200 calls for service since storm operations began. If you approach a traffic light that is flashing red or is not working at all, you must treat it as a four-way stop. If the traffic light is flashing yellow, proceed with caution through the intersection without stopping.Once South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) crews finish cutting trees and limbs and assisting with utility restoration, they will begin working to remove debris from the roadway. SCDOT contractors will begin removing debris in the 16 most affected counties, beginning with interstates and primary routes as early as next week. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) Dam Safety Team has assessed the post-storm condition of 234 state-regulated dams and there are no significant issues reported or observed. SCDES continues to work with drinking water and wastewater facilities around the state and also is working with local governments and state partners to approve additional debris management sites to help communities dispose of substantial amounts of storm debris.The South Carolina Department of Commerce is working with public and private partners to identify county and business-related needs following Hurricane Helene. Businesses are encouraged to contact the ESF 24 desk (803-737-8524 or esf24@emd.sc.gov) for assistance and to report damage. 5:41 p.m.Mail in Haywood County, North CarolinaThe USPS is delivering mail wherever possible. If they are unable to reach you, your mail will be held for pickup at your local post office. Amazon deliveries are suspended, but an update is expected next week.5:30 p.m.Changes made to Fall for GreenvilleFall for Greenville was scheduled for Oct. 11 through Oct. 13, but due to recent events, the event will be postponed to be held from Nov. 8 through Nov. 10.5:21 p.m.Haywood County, North Carolina update Distribution Sites Woodland Baptist Church, 545 Crabtree Rd, Waynesville Service: Supplies available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; donations accepted. Saturday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Jonathan Valley Elementary School, 410 Hall Dr, Waynesville Service: Supplies available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; donations accepted. Bethel Elementary School, 4700 Old River Rd, Canton Service: Supplies available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; donations accepted. Maggie Valley Pavilion, 3987 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley Service: Supplies availableMonday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; donations accepted. Emergency Shelter Location: 235 Armory Drive, Clyde, NC 28721. Well Water Testing and Agriculture Assistance Well Water Testing, Call: 828-452-6638 Agriculture Assistance, Call: 828-452-2741 ext 3. Curfew A curfew is in effect from 9 PM to 7 AM. Please stay off the roads unless necessary. Court Schedule All Haywood County courts are canceled this week. On Monday, October 7th, Haywood County court will be open to handle emergency hearings and statutorily required hearings. Emergency Call Center Haywood County Emergency Call Center, open: 8am – 5pm For questions or assistance related to Helene's impact, call 828-356-2020. Donations and Support Monetary Donations, Managed by the United Way of Haywood County. Online: uwhaywood.org -- By Mail: Send checks to PO BOX 1139, Waynesville, NC 28786 (note "Tropical Storm Helene Relief" in the memo line). Waste Management Debris Removal: Place debris beside the road (not on it), separate tree debris from construction materials, and take photos for FEMA documentation purposes. FEMA Assistance: Contact 1-800-621-3362 for assistance.5:03 p.m. update:The State Forester’s Burning Ban will be lifted for Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens and Union counties as of 6 a.m. Friday, Oct. 4. The Forestry Commission is lifting the ban after evaluating conditions in these counties and in consultation with county fire officials. The ban will remain in place for Aiken, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Saluda and Spartanburg counties until further notice.The ban was issued Tuesday to ease the strain on firefighting personnel and law enforcement officials – from both the Forestry Commission and from local fire departments – many of whom were dispatched to affected areas to assist with road clearing, damage assessment and related cleanup.5 p.m. update:More deaths reported in Buncombe County, North CarolinaBuncombe County officials reported in the 4 p.m. government update that the death toll has risen to 72, with the number missing at over 200. 4:59 p.m.Additional deaths reported from Helene in South CarolinaTotal weather related deaths: 41Aiken: 6Anderson: 5Chester: 2Chesterfield: 1Greenville: 7Greenwood: 1Laurens: 3Newberry: 3Richland: 1Saluda: 3Spartanburg: 8York: 1 4:54 p.m.Greenville County Schools road assessmentsOn Friday, GCS team members will will drive more than 10,000 miles to assess the conditions of 370 bus and primary driving routes to schools and determine if safe transportation is possible.The assessment will help determine the plan for next week.4:51 p.m.North Carolina Prison Transfers On Oct. 3, the NC Department of Adult Correction transferred 151 men from Craggy Correctional Center in Asheville to three other prisons, completing the movement of offenders from prisons in storm impacted areas of western North Carolina.4:45 p.m.Polk County update:Damage Repair and Info: We know many are eager to begin repairs and restore a sense of normalcy. Our responders have already begun assessing the overall damages and documenting the situation. We encourage you to take detailed photos and document all personal damages and necessary repairs.To begin the assistance claim process, please visit FEMA’s Road to Recovery Assistance Program.We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available and will bring in both state and federal experts to ensure our community has access to all available disaster assistance.Essential Needs Distribution: The following drive-through locations will be open to distribute water and basic food. Supplies are on a first-come, first-served basis and will continue on a day-to-day basis per availability and need.Distribution Locations | October 4th | Time: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.:Tryon Equestrian25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC Columbus Town Hall95 Walker St, Columbus, NC Saluda Elementary Bus Parking Lot214 E Main St, Saluda, NC Tryon Town Hall301 N Trade St, Tryon, NC Sunny View Elementary86 Sunny View School Rd. Mill Spring, NC 28756Maximizing the Impact of Donations & Volunteer Efforts: To ensure that all donations and volunteer support are used effectively, we kindly request that you coordinate through BEOC@NCDPS.Gov. This will help us manage resources properly and maintain a safe, efficient response. Help spread the word: Unsolicited donations cannot be accepted due to logistical challenges and safety concerns. Your cooperation allows us to focus on what matters most—assisting those in need.Meals on Wheels: We are dedicated to ensuring that all clients registered for Meals on Wheels in Polk County receive not only meals but also physical contact during each delivery. Our priority is to provide consistent support, care, and essential nutrition to every client.Landfill: Open Mon-Fri., 8am - 4:30pm, Saturdays 8am - 4pm, the $10 Service Fee is waived through Oct. 8th. Emergency – 911Welfare Checks / Non-Emergency – 828-722-5025 or 828-722-5026Informational Hotline – 828-722-50864:30 p.m.City of Asheville update:Donation drop-off siteThe City of Asheville is opening a new donation drop-off site at Harrah’s Cherokee Center for individuals and groups wanting to help during this crisis. The site can accept small donations including water, nonperishable food, personal care items, infant care, pet food supplies, disposable plates and utensils, clothing and cleaning supplies. However, it cannot accept anything requiring refrigeration or flammable liquids. Donation Drop-off Site: Harrah's Cherokee Center 87 Haywood Street, at the front doorOperation Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., 7 days a weekCurbside collection of household waste will resume in targeted areas on Monday, October 7. Routes are being determined based on road accessibility and will be shared when available. Download the AVL Collects app in the Apple Store or Google Play store to receive notifications about trash and recycling pickup in your area. There will be no recycling pick up until the recycling plant is operational. Residents should use both recycling and trash carts for household waste. All waste will be collected as trash at this time by both City of Asheville and Curbie vehicles. The following materials cannot be collected at this time: mud, construction debris, concrete, and other bulky or hazardous items. Debris collection is estimated to start in mid October. 4:25 p.m.City of Greenville postpones Octoberfest at NOMA SquareIn light of the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, we have made the difficult decision to postpone this weekend's Octoberfest at NOMA Square.4:05 p.m.South Carolina FEMA extensionPeople in Aiken, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Cherokee, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Lexington, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg and Union counties in South Carolina can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in four ways: online by clicking here, calling 1-800-621-3362, on the FEMA App, or via disaster recovery centers.4 p.m.Spartanburg County SheltersBethlehem Baptist Church - 797 Old Georgia Road, MooreLandrum First Baptist - 300 E. Rutherford Street, Landrum Campobello First Baptist - 255 S. Main Street, CampobelloSpartanburg Memorial Auditorium - 385 N. Church Street, SpartanburgMedical Needs Shelter (on USC Upstate's campus) - 365 Hodge Drive, SpartanburgAll shelters have food, water, places to sleep, and the ability to charge your devices.Remember to call our Urgent Unmet Needs Line with any questions: (864) 860-1644.3:58 p.m.Greenville County 'long term' road closuresGreenville County, South Carolina officials compiled the following list of roads that face "long term" closure due to washout from flooding:Mountain Creek Church RoadSharon DriveNeely Mill RoadHoneysuckle RoadSmith CircleLister RoadHeritage DriveHampton Avenue ExtensionTilley RoadColeman DriveChick Springs RoadNorth Campbell RoadSouth Campbell RoadCenter RoadDuckworth Road3:50 p.m.Post-Helene job opportunitySpartanburg County is looking to staff around 60 trucks, with at least 100 people. The work could go on for up to eight months due to the amount of damage in the area. The hours are sun up to sun down for seven days a week. The job pays $1000+ per week, plus mileage reimbursement for travel. Officials are looking for tech savvy people, but will provide all training necessary. DebrisTech Operations Manager, Robert Ellis said “We usually hire local people because a lot of times people are in distress and may be not working. Their place of business either got destroyed or is without water or power and we give them an opportunity to help clean the community and earn money at the same time.”3:30 p.m.Free IceICE AGE ICE SCULPTURES OF GREENVILLE Has a supply of cooling and drinking ice and WATER that we will be giving away FREE today from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Small donations will be accepted but not required.We are also accepting donations of cases of bottled water so that we can freeze for surrounding communities.Please tell your friends, family and neighbors in need.Bring coolers, totes, trash bags, etc. So that we can fill your items up. Come back as many times as needed.3:20 p.m.Donation drop-off The Church of Anderson, at 1201 Rivers Heights Circle in Anderson, will be collecting the following items for donations:Diapers Infant formula Sports drink powders Protein bars Toilet paper Toothbrushes Toothpaste Ladies Hygiene Items Socks (new only) Sleeping bags Blankets FlashlightsDonated items will be picked up from the church this Saturday Oct. 5, between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. and flown to Asheville. The plane can take up to 1,000 pounds of supplies.3:15 p.m.Spectrum update:In support of the preparation for and response to Hurricane Helene, Spectrum has opened more than 33,800 Spectrum WiFi Access Points in North Carolina and South Carolina. These access points are open to all users across both states until further notice.Visit https://www.spectrum.com/wifi-hotspots for more information on the location of Spectrum WiFi Access Points. To connect your device, look for the "SpectrumWiFi" network under your device's WiFi settings.3:10 p.m. Verizon waives data usageVerizon will waive domestic call, text, and data usage from Sept. 28 to Oct. 27 for postpaid consumer and Verizon Small Business customers in the following counties:Georgia: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Banks, Barrow, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clarke, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Coweta, Crisp, Decatur, Douglas, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Franklin, Glascock, Glynn, Grady, Greene, Habersham, Hancock, Hart, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Mitchell, Morgan, Montgomery, Oglethorpe, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Stephens, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Turner, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler, White, Wilkes, Worth.North Carolina: Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Franklin, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Jones, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Richmond, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Washington, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey.South Carolina: Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg, York.This offer extends to all postpaid consumer and Verizon Small Business customers in the affected counties. No action is needed— overages will be automatically credited.*Verizon small business customers include customers with 50 lines or less.2:54 p.m.Greenville County Thursday afternoon updateAccording to officials, 37 percent of Greenville County is without power as of 1 p.m. Thursday:Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative: 2,470 affectedDuke Energy: 96,959 affectedLaurens Electric Cooperative: 3,424 affectedDuke Energy will provide an update later on Thursday regarding their restoration efforts.Officials released the following information regarding damage due to Helene in Greenville County:Nearly 1,300 buildings in Greenville County suffered minor damage (repairable, non-structural damage) due to Helene.About 650 buildings in Greenville County suffered major damage (structural damage/other significant damage requiring extensive repairs) due to Helene.Fifty-three buildings in Greenville County were destroyed (significant enough damage that the home is deemed a total loss) due to Helene.2:45 p.m. update:The South Carolina Emergency Management announced the roads that are still closed in Greenville County.These roads include:State Park RoadCamp Creek RoadGeer Highway/US 276Tugaloo RoadJones Mill Creek RoadEast Suber RoadWest Washington StreetDacusville HighwayHowe RoadTaylor RoadSouth Hudson StreetFreeman Bridge Road2 p.m.Spectrum update:Below is the only information we have been able to get from Spectrum."Right now, we have over 3,000 field leaders, technicians and engineers actively working around the clock to access and repair any damage to our network as a result of Helene and its aftermath. The overwhelming impact remains loss of commercial power. Once power is restored to homes, streets and neighborhoods, Spectrum customers are seeing their services come back online. Utility companies continue to clear and confirm safe, those harder hit areas, and our teams are gaining more access. Areas in Western North Carolina have seen considerable damage and remain inaccessible to our team at this time. We’re in regular contact with the power companies and local authorities and our teams are ready to begin work in these areas, once they are deemed safe and opened up to us."1:30 p.m.The School District of Pickens County announced Thursday that due to remaining power outages and hazardous road conditions, Friday, Oct. 4, will be an eLearning day. Approximately 15% of the county remains without power, and transportation staff have assessed routes and found many roads to be unsafe for school and bus travel. Our goal is to return to normal operations on Monday, Oct. 7. eLearning days allow the district to use the day as a make-up without needing to add additional days to the school calendar. However, the district will extend extreme grace in the assignments provided and the timeline for collecting student work, given the challenges many families are still facing. Full information is available here: www.pickens.k12.sc.us/article/17835891:20 p.m.City of Hendersonville updates: City buildings remain closed to the public for regular services at this time. The 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew remains in effect for the City of Hendersonville and Henderson County. CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE TO RESUME CALL SERVICES: On Thursday, October 3, the City of Hendersonville resumed handling calls for water & sewer and other city-related services. During the height of Helene recovery, Henderson County stepped in to help the city by handling those calls. Residents can call 828-697-3052 for City-related services and visit www.hvlnc.gov/helene for ongoing updates. It’s important to note Henderson County continues to operate its Emergency Operations Center line for county-related questions, shelters, resource hubs, etc. at 828-771-6670. Residents can also email helene-info@hcem.org. SYSTEM PRESSURE ADVISORY LIFTED FOR MOST WATER CUSTOMERS: This morning, Hendersonville Water & Sewer notified customers on their individual water status. Customers received notifications specific to their property to inform them of their status and will continue to receive updates as their status changes. As of Oct. 3, at 10 a.m., Hendersonville Water & Sewer estimates the following status numbers for customers: 70% - No System Pressure Advisory / Water OK to drink 25% - System Pressure Advisory in Effect / Have Water Service 5% - No Water / Extended Outage Possible Please refer to the map at www.hvlnc.gov/wateralerts to see if your property still needs to boil water or if you have been removed from the advisory. Those who remain under a System Pressure Advisory should continue to boil water before consumption. Hendersonville Water & Sewer will provide updates to customers in extended water outage areas. ALL customers still need to actively conserve water. The utility continues to work to restore pressure and refill our reservoirs, Hendersonville Water & Sewer needs all its customers to conserve water. Specifically, this means avoiding washing cars, pressure washing and other activities that go beyond typical individual water use for drinking, bathing and sanitizing. Unnecessary uses of water being observed in the community hinders the utility's ability to restore water pressure and get service restored to normal conditions for everyone. We know there’s a lot of cleanup that needs to be done, but let's find ways to help each other get our systems back to full strength first. GARBAGE & DEBRIS COLLECTION: The City of Hendersonville wants to remind residents that open burning is prohibited in city limits. That includes the burning of storm debris. Henderson County will provide curbside storm debris removal to all residents as a free service. The county will pick up storm debris that is pushed to the right of way of a property. Please be patient. The county will pick up this storm debris as soon as possible. Residents will need to place all items along the right of way in order for pickup. Storm debris includes tree branches, leaves, logs, building materials, furniture, paint, etc. Please separate household garbage, construction debris, vegetative debris, large appliances, electronics and hazardous waste to expedite the removal process. For household garbage, City of Hendersonville residents are asked to place their garbage carts out to the curb/street for collection. Recycling collection has been postponed until further notice. We will not be on our regular collection schedule due to the storm. We will be collecting extra bags until further notice, but all household garbage must be placed in garbage bags (no grocery bags please). If your carts are missing or damaged, please email jdcase@hvlnc.gov. We will get them replaced as soon as we can. If you don't have a cart, please place your bagged garbage out to the curb/street for collection. POST STORM SAFETY REMINDERS: As Duke Energy and its contractors continue work to restore power across Henderson County, assume all downed power lines are live. Many traffic lights in the city and county are still without power; when traffic lights at an intersection are out, drivers should treat it as a four-way stop. Unplug electrical devices and turn off your main breakers if your home has experienced flooding or been impacted by the storm. Never use wet electrical devices! Use flashlights instead of candles when the power is out. If you must use candles, NEVER leave them unattended! ️ Be cautious around damaged buildings. Storms can weaken structures, so avoid entering buildings that might be unsafe. Carbon Monoxide Dangers: Never use gas or coal-burning equipment like grills, generators, or heaters inside your home, basement, or garage. Keep them outside and at least 20 feet from windows, doors, or vents to prevent deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.The City Council will hold a Special Called Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 5:45 p.m. on the 2nd floor of City Hall, 160 6th Avenue East. Visit the City of Hendersonville Facebook or YouTube Page to learn about Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.1:05 p.m.Henderson County update:Henderson County remains in a State of Emergency and the 8 pm to 8 am curfew is still in effect for the entire County.DonationsOur donation drop-off site at 118 McAbee Court, Flat Rock, NC 28731 continues to accept donations. One item we are told from the site we do not need currently is diapers. Non-perishable food items, bottled water, and toiletries are needed. We are not accepting perishable food or new/used clothing items at this time. This site is for donation drop offs only. Visit www.visithendersonvillenc.org/helene-relief for a full list of accepted items, donation information and volunteer opportunities.ClosureThe Ecusta Trail is closed. A contractor is clearing storm debris, and the trail is not safe for use. The public should avoid using the Ecusta Trail until further notice.Trash drop-offThe Henderson County Convenience Center is open today. You can drop off bag for bag recycling and trash. The Automated Waste Lane is also open at the Transfer Station.Debris pickupHenderson County will provide free curbside storm debris pickup to county residents. The county is working with a contractor to pick up all storm debris on DOT, municipal and private roads. This process started on Oct. 2. The county is partnering with the municipalities within the county for this pickup service as well.Storm debris that is pushed to the right of way of a property will be picked up. Please be patient. Debris will be up picked by us as soon as possible. Residents will need to place all items along the road right of way in order for pickup.Storm debris includes tree branches, leaves, logs, building materials, furniture, paint, etc. Please separate household garbage, construction debris, vegetative debris, large appliances, electronics and hazardous waste to expedite the removal process. There is no need to take storm debris to the Convenience Center. The best way to remove debris is to place it on your curb.ResourcesHenderson County Resource Hub locations are open today Thursday, October 3rd for water distribution and other supplies as they become available.The Resource Hub locations are:Etowah Elementary, 320 Etowah School Road Etowah, NC 28729Rugby Middle, 3345 Haywood Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28791East Henderson High, 150 Eagle Pride Dr, East Flat Rock, NC 28726North Henderson High, 35 Fruitland Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792Mills River Town Hall, 124 Town Center Drive. Mills River, NC 28759Fletcher Town Hall, 300 Old Cane Creek Rd Fletcher, NC 28732Also, at four Resource Hubs we will also have free hot meals to go served twice daily around noon and 5 p.m. at four of the resource hubs in Henderson County. These to-go meals are first come, first served:Etowah Elementary, 320 Etowah School Road Etowah, NC 28729East Henderson High, 150 Eagle Pride Dr, East Flat Rock, NC 28726North Henderson High, 35 Fruitland Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792Mills River Town Hall, 124 Town Center Drive. Mills River, NC 28759Our call center is available for all non-medical requests for information. Please call 828-771-6670 or email Helene-info@hcem.org. For emergencies, please call 911.For more information visit www.hendersoncountync.gov/helene1 p.m.Buncombe County update:Loss of LifeThe number of lives lost in Buncombe County remains at 61.Missing PersonsBuncombe County does not have an official number for unaccounted people because:Search and rescue continue now for a seventh day. We are continuing to find survivors. We know we have pockets of people who are isolated due to landslides and bridges out, so they are disconnected but not missing.Power, Wi-Fi and phone coverage remains a barrier to connection.Only once our search and rescue ends will we truly know a number of unaccounted for.Power Update85,000 customers remain without power as restoration efforts continue. New Water and Food Distribution Sites: Two new sites have opened at: Cane Creek Middle, 570 Lower Brush Creek Road, Fletcher Leicester Elementary, 31 Gilbert Road, Leicester Both are open from noon to 4 p.m. providing water and ready-to-eat meals. Other locations include Estes Elementary, Sand Hill Elementary, North Windy Ridge, Fairview Elementary, and Black Mountain Ingles. Starting at 2 p.m., non-potable water will be available at Estes Elementary - please bring containers. Family Assistance The Family Assistance Center, an initiative of our Register of Deeds office, has deployed 840 volunteers to check on 6,065 high-priority households with 700+ care packages distributed. As of Wednesday, October 2: 2,885 of our neighbors confirmed safe and sound by volunteers, and 1,828 confirmed safe and sound through email and text. If you want to volunteer, please report any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 205 College St., Asheville. Small donations of food, water, toiletries, baby formula, dog food, etc. can be dropped off, as well. MSD Update Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County has been operational and treating the entire time. It has 37 out of 40 pumps that are working with either backup power or with full power. They have a few transmission lines that have leaks and breakages, and they are working on repairing those and they are making progress. FEMA Update FEMA will remain active in the region for the duration of the response and the recovery. FEMA's number one priority remains to be life safety with search and rescue currently active and ongoing. Those who are able to do so should register for FEMA assistance by visiting dissasterassistance.gov or calling 1‑800‑621‑3362. This is a critical first stop for the recovery process, this includes the Serious Needs Assistance which provides cash for life-sustaining and life-saving supplies like food, water, and medical equipment supplies. There is also Displacement Assistance if you cannot be in your house. Border Patrol Presence Border Patrol Officers are in the region to provide security and support. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol are not conducting immigration enforcement operations in the area. They are also not present at any of our shelter sites. Connectivity AT&T has set up a public mobile connectivity station at Sam's Club, 645 Patton Ave, Asheville, offering charging stations and service for calls. Big Ivy Community Center The center is receiving emergency supplies and offering food, including free hamburgers and hot dogs starting at noon today, Oct. 3. Volunteers and donations are needed. Assisted Care Facilities All monitored facilities have been contacted, with water and gas for generators identified as key needs. Staff are conducting wellness checks for seniors, working with local partners to address needs. DonationsCorrection: Small donations should be dropped off at Beloved Asheville, 32 Old Charlotte Highway, Asheville, NC 28803, not Reynolds Middle Warehouse.12:55 p.m.Greenwood County helpIndividuals in Greenwood County looking for assistance should call the United Way of the Lakelands at 864-854-9038.12:50 p.m.More Planet Fitness clubs open for Helene relief Additional clubs in South Carolina have joined the initiative offering Planet Fitness members and non-members access to showers, locker rooms and outlets.New clubs can be found below. The full list of participating clubs can be found below my signature.Planet Fitness – Anderson, SC3223 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Anderson, SC 29625Planet Fitness – Clemson, SC107 Canoy Ln., Clemson, SC 29631Planet Fitness – Greenwood, SC542 By-pass 72 NW, Greenwood, SC 29649Planet Fitness – Seneca, SC107 Bilo Pl., Seneca, SC 2967812:30 p.m.Haywood County update:The Haywood County Emergency Call Center is officially open daily 8am - 5pm to assist residents affected by Hurricane Helene. If you have questions or need assistance related to the storm's impact, please call the call center at 828-356-2020.Our dedicated team is here to provide information on recovery efforts, resource availability, and any safety concerns you may have. For the most up-to-date information, please visit readyhaywood.com.Visit Haywood’s number one priority is public safety. In collaboration with Haywood County organizations, including County Government, Emergency Services, the Sheriff's Office, and the Chamber of Commerce, we are strongly encouraging visitors to reschedule their upcoming trips for another time. This decision also follows the direction of Governor Cooper, Visit North Carolina, and other state officials to advise against travel to impacted areas in Western North Carolina.Until further notice, we are asking all visitors to please refrain from traveling to Haywood County, as visitors may place additional strain on disaster relief efforts. This region is still in an active emergency, and all resources need to be entirely focused on our residents and emergency workers.Popular roads for fall foliage sightseeing including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cataloochee Valley, US 276, and NC 215 are currently impassable or closed. All public lands, federal and local, are closed. Many other roads are blocked by mud, debris, or are washed out. Gas and food are in very short supply and there is extremely limited cell service and Internet. Most of Haywood County is under a boil water advisory. There is a county-wide curfew from 9PM to 7AM.Some businesses throughout Haywood County have started to reopen to provide much needed services and food for locals. However, due to the Internet outage, many are only taking cash payments and what they can offer is limited.Please check back here and on visithaywood.com/alerts on a weekly basis for continued updates. Our goal is to provide as much information as possible so that you can make informed decisions about future travel.12:15 p.m.City of Greenville update:TD Saturday Market vendors and participants expressed overwhelming support for holding a market this weekend. 40+ vendors will be set up on Main Street between Court and Washington from 8 a.m. to noon. For many, missing even a single market could result in financial loss. The market was canceled last weekend. Farmers and growers depend on the timely sale of perishable goods and our community relies on the market for fresh produce, including some items that are unavailable in stores due to the storm.Many citizens have asked how they can give back. The market is partnering with United Way of Greenville County to host a "Fill the Penske for Greenville" donation drive. Needed items include:Canned goods with pop tops (vegetables, fruits, soups, meats) Boxed meals (pasta, rice, cereal)Peanut butter and protein barsBottled water and sports drinksDiapers, baby wipes and formulasHygiene products (soap, toothpaste, feminine hygiene)First aid supplies (bandages, pain relievers)Cleaning supplies (disinfectant wipes, trash bags)11:45 a.m.Henderson County storm debris removalHenderson County will provide free curbside storm debris to county residents. The county is working with a contractor to pick up all storm debris on DOT, municipal and private roads. This process started on Oct. 2. The county is partnering with the municipalities within the county for this pickup service as well.Storm debris that is pushed to the right of way of a property will be picked up. Please be patient. Debris will be up picked by us as soon as possible. Residents will need to place all items along the road right of way in order for pickup.Storm debris includes tree branches, leaves, logs, building materials, furniture, paint, etc. Please separate household garbage, construction debris, vegetative debris, large appliances, electronics and hazardous waste to expedite the removal process. There is no need to take storm debris to the Convenience Center. The best way to remove debris is to place it on your curb.11:30 a.m.Following Hurricane Helene, the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation is warning consumers to watch out for scams during property repairs. More on how to spot a scam and resources to contact before work begins.11:05 A.M.Nationwide opens temporary aid distribution site Thursday - Friday, Oct. 3-49 a.m. to 6 p.m., dailyHome Depot at 79 Woodruff Industrial Lane, GreenvilleAmidst severe storm damage in the Greenville, South Carolina, region, a Nationwide Catastrophe Response Unit (CRU) is being deployed to offer humanitarian assistance and insurance claims guidance to Greenville-area residents. Available for Nationwide customers and those impacted by Helene, the CRU will be on location in the insurance village at the Home Depot at 79 Woodruff Industrial Lane offering necessities such as bottled water, sanitizer, personal hygiene products and snacks. Nationwide claims professionals will also be on hand to provide guidance on the claims process.Nationwide customers are encouraged to start claims online at nationwide.com, through the Nationwide mobile app or by calling 800-421-3535.10:55 a.m.McDowell County Helene recovery operationsOperational efforts continue strong in McDowell County. Rescue teams continue to expeditiously and methodically search and ensure the safety of residents isolated by blocked roads and storm debris. McDowell County Emergency Services Director, Will Kehler, said, “We won’t stop until we account for all our citizens and visitors and ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met. Every single day we are moving the needle protecting and saving lives. The spirit of this community is one of determination and resilience, and we will not fail!”Search and Rescue Operations UpdateMcDowell County has received 330 missing persons reports through our call center and the online reporting form. As of this morning, 309 individuals have been safely accounted for, and their families have been notified. The McDowell County Sheriff's Office, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement teams, have been working around the clock to locate the remaining missing persons. These teams are conducting extensive search operations throughout the county to ensure that all individuals are found and reunited with their loved ones.As of this morning, we can confirm that the number of confirmed fatalities related to Hurricane Helene stands at 0. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families and loved ones with missing family and loved ones.We continue to prioritize search and rescue efforts and are working around the clock to search for missing persons. Our primary search efforts focused on locating individuals who were easily contactable and visibly in need of assistance. Now, our teams are conducting secondary searches, utilizing specialized resources such as search dogs and drones to thoroughly check areas that were previously cleared, ensuring that any missing or hard-to-reach individuals are located.Shelter Locations & UpdatesYMCA (Red Cross General Public): 348 Grace Corpening Dr., Marion, NCGlenwood Baptist (Persons with pets): 155 Glenwood Baptist Church Rd., Marion, NCSenior Center Lower Level (Oxygen and Medical patients only): 100 Spaulding Rd. Suite 2, Marion, NC 28752 Food & Water DistributionIn coordination with logistics teams, the human services division is facilitating the delivery of essential resources, including water tankers, bottled water, MREs, and other food items, to affected areas throughout McDowell County. Operations are ongoing around the clock to ensure no one is left without access to these essentials.For up-to-date information on food and water distribution, shelter availability, community meals, and disaster assistance, visit www.mcdowellcares.org or call the McDowell County Helene Hotline at (828) 652-3241.Food and Water Distribution CentersDistribution will take place daily from:10:00 a.m. until supplies last4:00 p.m. until supplies lastLocations:Woodlawn (Hicks Chapel Church): 6008 Hwy 221 N, MarionNorth Cove (Former TJ’s): 8153 Hwy 221 N, MarionOld Fort (Columbia Forest Old Fort Warehouse): 1 Water Street, Old Fort, NCDysartsville (Solid Rock Freewill Baptist Church): 7860 Hwy 226 S, NeboMarion (New Manna Baptist Church): 225 E. Court Street, MarionSugar Hill (Zion Hill Baptist Church): 1036 Zion Hill Rd., MarionCommunity MealsWarm meals are served daily at the following location:Grace Community Church: 5182 US 70 West, Marion, NCMeal times: 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM to 5:30 PMMedical and Oxygen SupportOpen PharmaciesIngles PharmacyMarion PharmacyPrescription PadWalmart PharmacyCVS PharmacyMcDowell Pharmacy of Old Fort is open until 3pm (no phone service)Assistance for Homebound Insulin NeedsIndividuals who are isolated and need access to insulin can contact the Helene Hotline for assistance.Oxygen AssistancePatients who are homebound or without power and need help with oxygen cylinders or charging oxygen concentrators can call the Helene Hotline at (828) 652-3241 for support.10:30 a.m.City of Asheville update:City Offices and Parks will be closed until further notice.HEALTH RESOURCESFind information including pharmacies on Buncombe County’s website: buncombecounty.orgHOUSEHOLD TRASH COLLECTIONCurbside collection of household waste (only bagged trash) will resume in targeted areas on Monday, October 7. Routes are being determined based on road accessibility and will be shared when available.● Download the AVL Collects app to receive notifications about trash and recycling pickup in your area.You can find the AVL Collects app in Google Play Store of Apple App Store.● There will be no recycling pick up until the recycling plant is operational. Residents should use both recycling and trash carts for household waste. All waste will be collected as trash at this time by bothCity of Asheville and Curbie vehicles.● The following materials cannot be collected at this time: mud, construction debris, concrete, and other bulky or hazardous items. Debris collection is estimated to start in mid October.CELLULAR SERVICETemporary Verizon cellular satellite trailers are located at the Family Justice Center at 35 Woodfin Street and Groce United Methodist Church at 954 Tunnel Road. These towers offer limited cellular reception within several city blocks of where it is parked. Additionally, T-Mobile has set up satellite cellular on light trucks in Asheville, providing cellular service along with Wi-Fi and charging stations at: Asheville Middle School at 211 S French Broad Ave, and Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center at 285 Livingston St.FOOD & WATER DISTRIBUTIONThe City has received water supplies and is distributing at the locations below. Resources continue to belimited and residents are advised to conserve.Distribution Locations:● Pack Square Park (70 Court Plaza): Bring your own water container, 2 gallons per person/day, walk-up● Asheville Middle School (211 S. French Broad Ave): 1 case of bottled water per family/day, drive thruWATER UTILITY SERVICEWhen will service be restored?Tropical Storm Helene severely damaged the production and distribution system of the City of Asheville’s water system. Extensive repairs are required to treatment facilities, underground and aboveground water pipes, and to roads that have washed away.That repair process has already begun and critical materials arrived at North Fork and Mills River on Tuesday (10/1) and are already being worked into the distribution system.Although providing a precise timeline is impossible, it is important to note that restoring service to the full system could potentially take weeks. As repairs progress, water service will return to some areas before others, based solely on the level of damage to the system.FOOD & WATER DISTRIBUTIONFood in the form of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) and bottled water are available at two distribution sites beginning today. Two MRE packages per adult, and one per child will be allowed per day. Cases of bottledwater are available, one case per family per day. Distribution will last until 7 p.m. or until supplies run out.● Asheville Middle School, 211 S. French Broad Avenue, Asheville● Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Road, AshevilleOther Water Distribution sites - open until 7pm, or supplies run out● Bulk water at Pack Square Park (70 Court Plaza) - Some containers are available but please bring your own if possible.SHELTERS● General public shelter at WNC Agricultural Center (pets accepted) - 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher ● General public shelter at AB Tech - 6 Fernihurst Drive, Asheville, NC 28801 (use Victoria Road entrance)● Medical emergency shelter at AB Tech - 10 Genevieve Circle, Asheville, NC 28801● Old Gold’s Gym - 1815 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, NC 28803BUS SERVICEBus service remains suspended while buses are involved in relief efforts. While performing this service, the bus destination sign will say "Special Assignment."ASHEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENTAPD is at full patrol staffing with an additional 45 State and Federal agencies supporting. Officers are working to 1) guard food and water distribution sites and critical infrastructure 2) protect medical facilities and pharmacies from theft 3) conduct search and rescues, welfare checks, and reunification to family 4) securingareas with severe damage, 5) providing patrols where thefts have occurred.To report a missing person, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ovyjJ9zfdUcJVHDw6 which can also be found on City of Asheville’s website.ASHEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENTAFD continues efforts in heavily affected areas and canvassing neighborhoods for needs. AFD and other resources are committing personnel to targeted searches to help locate missing people. For those needing medical assistance or for those who cannot call 911, each fire station will have a firefighter available 24/7.There are 16 different fire department agencies from across the state assisting AFD on our fire trucks.**If you have no power, turn the breakers off at the main panel to prevent a power surge and risk of fire when power returns.DEVELOPMENT SERVICESThe Development Services Department will be set up to receive and issue permits for removal and replacement of damaged areas. Permit fees will be waived for removal and repair permits.For questions about buildings affected by this storm:City of Asheville Building Safety Division at 828-259-5846 * email buildingsafety@ashevillenc.gov.Electronic applications may be submitted to: develop.ashevillenc.govNEW DONATION DROP-OFF SITEThe City of Asheville, partnering with United Way, has opened a new donation drop-off site for individuals and groups wanting to help during this crisis. The site can accept small donations, including water, nonperishable food, personal care items, infant care, pet food supplies, disposable plates and utensils, clothing, and cleaning supplies, including buckets. However, it cannot accept anything requiring refrigeration or flammable liquids. Donation Drop-off Site: Harrah's Cherokee Center 87 Haywood Street, at the front doorHours and Days of Operation: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., seven days a weekSign up for AVL Alerts on the City of Asheville website at www.ashevillenc.gov and follow on Facebook or X at @AshevilleFD. 10:15 a.m.SC Department of Insurance EventThe South Carolina Department of Insurance is working to help people make claim filings as easy as possible in the wake of Helene. Department employees are on hand to help at the Home Depot at 79 Woodruff Industrial Lane in Greenville on Thursday until 6:00 p.m. and on Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They're offering assistance to policy holders and information to help prevent insurance fraud and scams.9:55 a.m.T-Mobile Helene recovery effortsSouth Carolina and North Carolina we currently have more than 500 engineers and emergency crew members deployed, over 250 portable generators in place (a number that is increasing every day!) and T-Mobile teams are currently offering charging and Wi-Fi connectivity at several locations, during their open hours. We’ve been working to quickly restore coverage. In the first 24 hours of access, we restored 132 sites just on the first day. That number has increased as that work continues daily.9:25 a.m.McDowell County update from Marion Police Department:Here are 3 Ways you can apply for disaster aid:ONLINE @ DisasterAssistance.govFEMA APP: Download the FEMA APP @ https://www.fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-productsCALL: 800-621-3362***WATCH OUT FOR FEMA SCAMS***Q: Is FEMA giving hotel vouchers in McDowell County as of 10/2/24?A: No. FEMA has not activated the TSA program yet.Q: Is FEMA in McDowell County?A: While you may see FEMA teams in McDowell, these are currently search and rescue teams and other personnel. McDowell EOC has verified that we do not currently have FEMA inspectors in the field yet. However, there are some FEMA representatives in the area at shelters checking in with sheltered residents to assist with resources.Important Information:Some citizens have received a standard FEMA info sheet that a FEMA inspector would typically provide after an inspection. This is not a voucher.FEMA is providing support and will be in the community soon. While we are working hard as a community to recover, we are still focused on life safety and locating missions.How to Identify FEMA Inspectors:If you see a FEMA inspector at your home, they will have an official FEMA badge with their name and photo. Please remember to verify their identity.9:50 a.m.Spartanburg County update:Parks and community centers will remain closed at least until Monday, Oct. 7, as our team members continue to assist with storm recovery.The Wellford Landfill will remain open, accepting household waste from 7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Saturday. The following recycling centers are open 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Monday - Saturday:Station 1 - Quarter Mile RoadStation 2 - Valley FallsStation 5 - Dexter RoadStation 6 - New ProspectStation 11 - Wofford Road, Woodruff (this station still does not have power, so no cardboard or commingled recycling will be accepted - only household waste.)Spartanburg County Administration Building is open.9:40 a.m.Greenville County burn banThe State Forestry Commission has issued a Burn Ban, which prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, in unincorporated areas, as well as burning for forestry, wildlife or agricultural purposes. The ban does not apply to fires used for the preparation of food or fires used in appropriate enclosures (portable outdoor fireplaces, chimineys, or permanent fire pits constructed of stone, masonry, metal or other noncombustible material that conforms with all applicable South Carolina fire codes). The burning ban is intended to ease the strain on firefighting personnel and law enforcement officials, many of whom were dispatched to affected areas to assist with road clearing, damage assessment and related cleanup.9:30 a.m.North Carolina farmers markets serve as Helene donation drop-off sitesThree of North Carolina’s state-operated farmers markets will begin serving as drop-off locations for hurricane relief supplies starting Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 6. Times are as follows:State Farmers Market, 1201 Agriculture St., Raleigh: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market, 2914 Sandy Ridge Road, Colfax: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, 1801 Yorkmont Road, Charlotte: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.In addition, the Western N.C. Farmers Market is serving as a collection and distribution site through Oct. 5 for MANNA FoodBank after its warehouse was destroyed during Hurricane Helene. Donation hours at this site are 8 a.m. to noon and distribution hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Items needed at this location include shelf-stable food (pop-top cans preferred), bottled water, baby and toddler formula and food, and diapers.“The tremendous need in our Western N.C. communities is being met by an outpouring of support from across the state, and these collection locations will give community members a place to drop off much needed supplies,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Please bring only what is being requested at this time as these items represent the most pressing needs in the impacted areas.”At the Raleigh, Colfax and Charlotte markets, the only items being accepted at this time include:First Aid KitsBottled WaterFeminine ProductsDiapers (infant and adult)Baby wipesManual Breast PumpsBaby Formula (ready to use)Baby SpoonsPaper platesPlastic UtensilsPaper TowelsBatteriesFlashlightsSolar Charger PacksCandlesLighters, non-electric can openersShelf-stable Food (pop top cans preferred)Dog and cat foodBleachVinegarCleaning supplies9:30 a.m.AT&T Connectivity Center opensAT&T has deployed its Mobile Connectivity Center to the Sam’s Club at 645 Patton Ave, in Asheville. The MCC is an air-conditioned mobile unit open to the public, equipped with laptops, charging stations, and Wi-Fi. The public can use the MCC for various needs such as contacting their insurance company, filling out paperwork, or connecting with loved ones.8:10 a.m.The American Diabetes Association released this information about resources for people living with diabetes who are affected in the aftermath of Helene.What to do with unused insulin during a power outage, emergency prescription refill waivers, and a guide to switching insulin in the event regular medication isn’t available.Online resource to find open pharmacies nearby.Important considerations for people with diabetes, such as the need to monitor for infection from walking through contaminated water or injuring their feet.1-800-DIABETES helpline, available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.8 a.m. UNC Health Pardee Update:Pardee Hospital and the emergency department remain open 24/7 for emergent medical care, along with the following locations:Pardee Rx - FlemingPardee Urgent Care, BrevardPardee Urgent Care, HendersonvillePardee BlueMD - 1027 Fleming St., Hendersonville (9 am - 4 pm)Pardee BlueMD - 611 5th Ave. West, Hendersonville (9 am - 4 pm)Pardee BlueMD - 1824 Pisgah Dr., Laurel Park (9 am - 4 pm)Pardee BlueMD - 6503 Brevard Rd., Etowah (10 am - 4 pm)Pardee BlueMD - 2695 Hendersonville Rd., Suite 200, Arden (9 am - 4 pm)Pardee BlueMD - 2775 Hendersonville Rd., Arden (9 am - 4 pm)Pardee BlueMD - 1409 Asheville Hwy., Brevard (9 am - 4 pm)Pardee Cancer Center (for scheduled infusions and injections, and acute care needs)Pardee Pain CenterPardee Wound Center (nurse visits only)Pardee Cardiology Associates, BrevardPardee Cardiology Associates, HendersonvillePardee Neurology Associates, Arden (9 am - 4 pm)Pardee Neurology Associates, Hendersonville (9 am - 4 pm)Vascular Surgery at PardeeOutpatient RadiologyPardee @Work, Thompson St.Southeastern Sports Medicine and Orthopedics, Asheville Hwy/Hendersonville, Brevard, WaynesvillePatients with scheduled surgeries and procedures will be contacted regarding their appointment.PARDEE CANCER CENTERPardee Cancer Center will return to operations today, excluding radiation treatment. The team will see patients with scheduled visits as well as active patients who need acute care services for conditions related to their cancer treatment. For questions, concerns, and appointments call (828) 694-4300. CLOSINGS / CANCELLATIONSHops for Hope is canceled.The 10/3 Labor and Delivery class is canceled.Pardee BlueMD practices not listed above are closed.Pardee specialty practices not listed above are closed.Pardee Physical Therapy locations are closed.Patients can expect a call to reschedule their appointment in the coming days. Please continue to look for updates on our social channels and at pardeehospital.org.6:50 a.m.Partnering with Chartwells K12, Spartanburg One will continue its free meal distribution TODAY at Landrum High School (Front Office)and Mabry Middle School (Cafeteria) from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM (or until supplies last). Families are encouraged to stop by and pick up a "to-go" meal for their loved ones.For those needing a place to freshen up, hot showers are available today at Landrum High School from 10 AM to 2 PM.6:45 a.m.All North Carolina state parks closedwest of Interstate 77 are closed through at least Oct. 31, the Division of Parks and Recreation announced. These parks include Chimney Rock, Crowders Mountain, Elk Knob, Gorges, Grandfather Mountain, Lake James, Lake Norman, Mount Mitchell, New River, South Mountains, and Stone Mountains state parks, as well as Mount Jefferson State Natural Area and Rendezvous Mountain.In addition, all events and programs at all state parks have been canceled through Oct. 31, with the exception of Dismal Day, Oct. 12, at Dismal Swamp State Park; Fear at the Fort, Oct. 18-19 and 25-26, at Fort Macon State Park; and a Schools in Parks training, Oct. 26, at Carolina Beach State Park.6:15 a.m. Grandparents found hugging each other after fallen tree killed them in their South Carolina home. Full story below: 6 a.m.: Food distribution begins at McAlister Square in Greenville County at 10 a.m. More free food locations here. 5:32: Greenville County announces new information on debris pick up.First debris pickup done! Thousands more to go! Greenville County's disaster generated debris pickup is officially underway! We wanted to share a bit more about this process and hopefully answer any questions you might have: We have 50+ trucks dedicated to this effort - some very large like the ones pictured here, and others smaller and more nimble to help reach more remote areas! This will be a month long process - we will be making multiple pickups on every county maintained road, on several different days. So, if you can't get it all out right away please know that we will be returning for additional pickups! Please be patient as we will make our way to everyone. For more, click here. 5:30 a.m. Biltmore Estate closed"Due to impacts from Tropical Storm Helene, Biltmore Estate is temporarily closed as we assess damage from the storm. Please visit biltmore.com/weather-updatefor information on how this temporary closure impacts your visit or stay."For Wednesday updates, click here.
As South Carolina and North Carolina continue to recover from the massive impacts of Helene, the following list will be updated as information comes in.
**Live coverage above when available**
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Thursday updates:
10 p.m.
Electric companies provide Thursday night updates
Power restoration continues in South Carolina: Here's the latest updates as we learn more
9:44 p.m.
Cherokee County, South Carolina Thursday update
West End Baptist Church will give out pizza Thursday evening at 6 p.m. The church is located at 400 Overlook Drive in Gaffney.
The South Carolina National Guard is going street by street to survey damage, looking for downed or leaning trees, power lines, damaged property and infrastructure, etc.
Cherokee County and SCDOT opened 11 roads on Thursday, including some that had previously been cleared but had new trees or power lines fall on them:
- Dry Fork Road
- Walker Road
- Strawberry Road (be careful of low-hanging power line)
- Lookout Tower Road
- Kraft Street
- Thompson Street
- Cooper Street
- Oconee Street
- McGinnis Road
- Oakdale Road
- Woods Farm Road
At least 20 roads remain fully or partially closed.
After scouting some bus routes Thursday, Cherokee County Schools said it will make a decision about next week by Sunday afternoon.
There will be no Blacksburg High School game on Monday, and the fate of the Gaffney game is undecided but is unlikely.
As of 5:30 p.m., about 36% of Cherokee County residents remained without power.
The SC Forestry Commission will lift the burn ban on Cherokee County at 6 a.m. Friday.
On Friday, the American Red Cross will open five feeding locations serving hot meals from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily as long as the need persists.
These locations include:
- Central Baptist Church, 126 E. Church St., Cowpens
- Cherokee Creek Baptist, 501 Buck Shoals Road, Gaffney
- Corinth Baptist Church, 190 Corinth Road, Gaffney
- Gaffney First Baptist, 200 N. Limestone St., Gaffney
- Tessner’s Parking Lot, 204 W. Cherokee St., Blacksburg
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has included Cherokee County on its list of counties approved for the Individual Assistance program. This program provides direct financial assistance to residents who incurred uninsured damages to their property as a result of the storm. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses can begin applying for assistance by registering at =AT0bEl2kHT2EKGeZA6K8YXpKDoDxMhu7zuUlB0yxGTHcmnN5it9_QSgfXD7_b1GkxL-rfCclZ6Vd6PvnkcZ4q2uWGLyPZ4alHY9u7IUDz5Z6pZA4iNR5cOTY3xmHZvs4AtHNhbxOycN3jvMvep0z9eiHRvraiGfsZBQ6koVsDhMkPERS3z2o2q9gtpMPCmVJWzNfxJtAIpDuy6yWoLEehkNheQ" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" tabindex="0" target="_blank">www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362.
OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS
Cherokee County and City of Gaffney offices are open regular business hours.
Blacksburg offices remain closed.
If you are interested in volunteering for disaster relief recovery - you can begin by calling the citizen hotline number. A CITIZEN HOTLINE has been set up 1-864-487-2587 to report damages and for information on food, water, shelter, and volunteer sign-up.
The United Way’s Unmet Needs Help Line is another resource Cherokee County residents can utilize, reach them at (864) 860-1644.
Cherokee School District has been canceled through Friday. There will also be no e-learning as well.
No practices or after-school activities until further notice. Blacksburg High and Gaffney High football games this week are canceled.
The stoplight at Highway 29 & Highway 5 in Blacksburg is on backup power and is currently working, but motorists are still advised to use caution.
PLEASE NOTE: Be very careful when driving at night on secondary roads! Stay at home at night if possible.
Cherokee County has begun limited garbage pickup. Please pull your carts to the road. Crews will pick up garbage on routes as they are able. Crews will run Monday's route on Friday. They will run Tuesday's route on Saturday. As of next Monday, pickup will follow normal routes (as roadways allow).
The Landfill is open Monday - Saturday from 7:30 am - 6 pm. All items must be separated, no mixed loads. Everyone must cross scales - NO exceptions.
South Carolina DMV has extended and waived late fees for registration renewal for September. This will be extended until November 1, 2024.
County officials and SCDOT continue to work with a debris removal company to develop a countrywide debris removal program.
To request volunteer assistance with trees blocking driveways or causing damage to cars and houses of the uninsured or elderly, please call the Citizens Hotline at 864-487-2587. NOTE: This assistance is not yet for debris removal or cleanup.
Crimes committed during a state of emergency could be considered looting, and a person found guilty of this must be fined or imprisoned or both, at the discretion of the court.
FOOD AND WATER DISTRIBUTION
Food and water distribution sites will open from 10 am - 5 pm.
Instructions: Follow entry directions! Volunteers will load. DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR CAR!
Blacksburg Location: Broad River Baptist Church, 419 W. Cherokee St.Please enter W. Lime St. (below Food Lion) off of Hwy 29, follow W Lime St. to S. Charleston St., turn left and then right into the church parking lot. Exit onto Hwy 29.
Gaffney Location: Midway Recreation Complex Parking Lot, 580 Twin Lake Rd.Please enter Overbrook Dr. onto Twin Lake Rd. and follow directional signs into the parking lot.
For the rest of the update, click here.
9:34 p.m.
Donations for North Carolina storm victims
Spartanburg County announced Whitley's Auto Auction at 1515 Locust Hill Road in Greer, South Carolina, will be accepting donations for western North Carolina storm victims from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4.
County officials said, "While this has been a tough week in Spartanburg County, we understand that it could've been so much worse, and our hearts and prayers are with those in western North Carolina."
8:55 p.m.
Asheville man arrested after shooting at deputies during wellness check
Asheville, North Carolina, man arrested after shooting at deputies during wellness check, officials say
8:23 p.m.
Duke Energy releases update on power restoration efforts
Power restoration continues in South Carolina: Here's the latest updates as we learn more
8 p.m.
Plane crashes at North Carolina airport
VIDEO: Plane bursts into flames while approaching runway in North Carolina
7:50 p.m.
Federal, State, and Local Agencies Collaborate to Surge Medical Support to Areas in Western North Carolina Hardest Hit by Hurricane Helene
Senior officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the State of North Carolina, Mission Hospital, and HCA Healthcare will discuss the collaboration between federal, state, and local partners to surge medical support in areas hardest hit by Hurricane Helene, including in Asheville and Spruce Pine, North Carolina. ASPR’s National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) teams are providing 24-hour care in medical tents for the influx of patients arriving to the emergency departments of Asheville’s Mission Hospital and Spruce Pine’s Blue Ridge Regional Hospital.
At the request of the State of North Carolina, HHS deployed approximately 375 medical, public health, and disaster response personnel to help ensure the health needs of the people of North Carolina are met. In addition to the support at Mission and Blue Ridge Regional Hospitals, NDMS team are providing care at two state medical support shelters, one in Hickory and another in Mill Springs. An additional NDMS team is enroute to support the opening of an urgent care clinic.
6:30 p.m.
Asheville, North Carolina water restoration progress report
Measurable progress has been made toward rebuilding Water Resources’ catastrophically damaged distribution and production systems. Materials, equipment and personnel are on the ground at all three water treatment plants.
Mills River plant, which serves South Asheville, is functional, and equipment to push it to maximum output is online.
A boil water advisory remains in effect for customers who have water service.
6:17 p.m.
Search underway for dangerous suspect in Asheville, North Carolina
Search underway for deadly stabbing suspect in Asheville, North Carolina, officers say
6:16 p.m.
Temporary Debris Sites for Greenville County
Officials said these sites are for Greenville County residents only. You will be required to show ID and your load will be documented. This is mandatory for FEMA to do proper damage assessments.
Residents can take vegetative debris (trees) to the following:
- Enoree (Eastside): 1311 Anderson Ridge Road, Greer, SC, 29651
- Simpsonville: 517 Hipps Road, Simpsonville, SC, 29690
- Blackberry Valley: 409 Blackberry Valley Road, Greenville, SC, 29617
There is no size limit.
There is no contractors or dump trailers.
These sites will be closed Sunday and Monday. The hours of operation will be Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
5:58 p.m.
Town of Biltmore, North Carolina Update
- Hurricane Helene brought down a large number of trees at Biltmore Forest, which is a primary residential area. This was the main source of destruction for this community.
- All roads are currently accessible for emergency crews.
- The water system will require repairs once water systems are restored
5:57 p.m.
Town of Woodfin, North Carolina Update
- Food and Water Distribution will take place at the New Bridge Baptist Church at 199 Elkwood Avenue from 2-4 p.m. Donations will be accepted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- A portion of donations to the church is being shuttled to Victory Baptist Church at 80 Olivette Rd, Asheville from 3-5 p.m.
- Anyone with special needs or with a welfare check request should visit Woodfin Town Hall at 90 Elk Mountain Road or call 828-253-4887 when cellular service is restored to the line.
- Trash and recycling collection will start on Friday.
- There is not current definitive timeline for when water can be restored at Woodfin.
- The town is hosting a briefing everyday at 1 p.m. at the Town Hall.
5:55 p.m.
Buncombe County, North Carolina Update
Buncombe County has activated the One Buncombe Call Center for residents to report storm damage, access resources, and find storm-related information by calling (828) 250-6100. The call center will operate seven days a week.
In Buncombe County, 72 lives have been lost due to Hurricane Helene.
Solid Waste Services
Waste Pro is resuming limited service in Weaverville on Friday where safe and accessible. Residents can drop off household trash (no storm debris) at North Buncombe Pool, 734 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Buncombe County Landfill will be open Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Hazardous Materials
Residents are advised to avoid river areas due to debris. The County has requested testing for hazardous materials through the state emergency operations center.
Donation Center
We have set up a warehouse at 6 Commerce Way in Arden to receive hurricane relief supplies. We can receive donations from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. daily. Any size vehicle is welcome.
We have seven categories of things that we can accept, these include:
- Non-perishable, ready-to-eat food
- Bottled water
- Clean-up supplies
- Paper goods like toilet paper
- Baby supplies including formula
- Pet supplies
- Personal Care
We cannot accept baby food, glass items, furniture, clothing, perishable food, electronics, and flammable liquids. We will not distribute from this location – these donations will go to community partners to distribute, so please do not come here to receive supplies.
Mountain Mobility
As long as patients are accessible, Mountain Mobility is resuming life-sustaining dialysis transport in coordination with dialysis centers. This will also help open hospital beds.
Community Support for Unhoused Individuals
Code Purple, a coordinated effort among Asheville and Buncombe County shelters and other organizations to provide emergency overflow shelter for unhoused individuals, was called prior to the storm with collaboration between City, County, and service providers to quickly outreach to folks on the street and attempt to get them to Code Purple locations before the storm hit. Many of them are still in those shelters for the time being, and County Community Paramedics along with City Community Responders have been making regular rounds to homeless service and permanent supportive housing provider locations to offer support and resources to residents and staff at those locations.
Permits
The Buncombe County Permits Office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Applications are accepted electronically at buncombecounty.org/permits. Special flood hazard area requirements may apply.
Wi-Fi Access
Free Wi-Fi is available at the North Asheville Library use the password “readmore” lowercase, no space. Other libraries include Pack Memorial, Enka-Candler and West Asheville.
Pet Care
MedVet Asheville, an emergency and specialty veterinary hospital, will be opening starting tomorrow Friday, Oct. 4 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and will be open those hours every day. They are located at 677 Brevard Road, Asheville, NC 28806.
5:46 p.m.
Medical Group of the Carolinas Practice Closures
The following practices will be closed on Friday, Oct. 4:
- Medical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – Cedar Springs
- Medical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – Dorman
- Medical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – Inman
- Medical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – Pacolet
- Medical Group of the Carolinas – Family Medicine – Woodruff
- Gibbs Cancer Center – Gaffney – Closed
5:44 p.m.
South Carolina cleanup operations update
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division remains at OPCON 1. There has been a total of 849 logistical requests. The requests range from shelter assistance to debris removal.
Thousands of line workers are working to make power repairs. As of 2:00 p.m. 376,760 outages were reported. At the height of the storm over 1.4 million outages were reported.
The South Carolina National Guard has activated more than 1,000 Soldiers and Airmen, and more than 30 vehicles and aircraft, including hoist and emergency aviation assets, debris removal and high-water vehicles. They have fielded 116 resource requests, completed 19 missions, and are currently executing 75 active missions. There are 14 chainsaw teams, 11 debris clearing teams, and nine Point of Distribution operation centers deployed across 14 counties in upstate South Carolina. The Florida National Guard and New York National Guard are also assisting with additional resources.
Eleven general population shelters are currently in operation. View shelter information here.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) has been in contact with 381 health care facilities to check on their power/electricity status and assist with any needs. DPH Care Line has received a total of 1,543 calls. DPH has distributed 1,347 oxygen tanks to county partners.
Road safety remains a top priority. Highway Patrol Troopers and State Transport Police Officers with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety have responded to 6,200 calls for service since storm operations began. If you approach a traffic light that is flashing red or is not working at all, you must treat it as a four-way stop. If the traffic light is flashing yellow, proceed with caution through the intersection without stopping.
Once South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) crews finish cutting trees and limbs and assisting with utility restoration, they will begin working to remove debris from the roadway. SCDOT contractors will begin removing debris in the 16 most affected counties, beginning with interstates and primary routes as early as next week.
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) Dam Safety Team has assessed the post-storm condition of 234 state-regulated dams and there are no significant issues reported or observed. SCDES continues to work with drinking water and wastewater facilities around the state and also is working with local governments and state partners to approve additional debris management sites to help communities dispose of substantial amounts of storm debris.
The South Carolina Department of Commerce is working with public and private partners to identify county and business-related needs following Hurricane Helene. Businesses are encouraged to contact the ESF 24 desk (803-737-8524 or esf24@emd.sc.gov) for assistance and to report damage.
5:41 p.m.
Mail in Haywood County, North Carolina
The USPS is delivering mail wherever possible. If they are unable to reach you, your mail will be held for pickup at your local post office. Amazon deliveries are suspended, but an update is expected next week.
5:30 p.m.
Changes made to Fall for Greenville
Fall for Greenville was scheduled for Oct. 11 through Oct. 13, but due to recent events, the event will be postponed to be held from Nov. 8 through Nov. 10.
Fall for Greenville postponed due to Tropical Storm Helene
5:21 p.m.
Haywood County, North Carolina update
Distribution Sites
- Woodland Baptist Church, 545 Crabtree Rd, Waynesville Service: Supplies available
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; donations accepted.
Saturday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. - Jonathan Valley Elementary School, 410 Hall Dr, Waynesville Service: Supplies available
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; donations accepted. - Bethel Elementary School, 4700 Old River Rd, Canton Service: Supplies available
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; donations accepted. - Maggie Valley Pavilion, 3987 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley Service: Supplies available
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; donations accepted. - Emergency Shelter Location: 235 Armory Drive, Clyde, NC 28721.
Well Water Testing and Agriculture Assistance
Well Water Testing, Call: 828-452-6638 Agriculture Assistance, Call: 828-452-2741 ext 3.
Curfew A curfew is in effect from 9 PM to 7 AM. Please stay off the roads unless necessary.
Court Schedule All Haywood County courts are canceled this week. On Monday, October 7th, Haywood County court will be open to handle emergency hearings and statutorily required hearings.
Emergency Call Center
Haywood County Emergency Call Center, open: 8am – 5pm
For questions or assistance related to Helene's impact, call 828-356-2020. Donations and Support
Monetary Donations, Managed by the United Way of Haywood County.
Online: uwhaywood.org -- By Mail: Send checks to PO BOX 1139, Waynesville, NC 28786 (note "Tropical Storm Helene Relief" in the memo line).
Waste Management Debris Removal: Place debris beside the road (not on it), separate tree debris from construction materials, and take photos for FEMA documentation purposes. FEMA Assistance: Contact 1-800-621-3362 for assistance.
5:03 p.m. update:
The State Forester’s Burning Ban will be lifted for Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens and Union counties as of 6 a.m. Friday, Oct. 4.
The Forestry Commission is lifting the ban after evaluating conditions in these counties and in consultation with county fire officials.
The ban will remain in place for Aiken, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Saluda and Spartanburg counties until further notice.
The ban was issued Tuesday to ease the strain on firefighting personnel and law enforcement officials – from both the Forestry Commission and from local fire departments – many of whom were dispatched to affected areas to assist with road clearing, damage assessment and related cleanup.
5 p.m. update:
More deaths reported in Buncombe County, North Carolina
Buncombe County officials reported in the 4 p.m. government update that the death toll has risen to 72, with the number missing at over 200.
4:59 p.m.
Additional deaths reported from Helene in South Carolina
Total weather related deaths: 41
Aiken: 6
Anderson: 5
Chester: 2
Chesterfield: 1
Greenville: 7
Greenwood: 1
Laurens: 3
Newberry: 3
Richland: 1
Saluda: 3
Spartanburg: 8
York: 1
4:54 p.m.
Greenville County Schools road assessments
On Friday, GCS team members will will drive more than 10,000 miles to assess the conditions of 370 bus and primary driving routes to schools and determine if safe transportation is possible.
The assessment will help determine the plan for next week.
4:51 p.m.
North Carolina Prison Transfers
On Oct. 3, the NC Department of Adult Correction transferred 151 men from Craggy Correctional Center in Asheville to three other prisons, completing the movement of offenders from prisons in storm impacted areas of western North Carolina.
4:45 p.m.
Polk County update:
Damage Repair and Info: We know many are eager to begin repairs and restore a sense of normalcy. Our responders have already begun assessing the overall damages and documenting the situation. We encourage you to take detailed photos and document all personal damages and necessary repairs.
To begin the assistance claim process, please visit FEMA’s Road to Recovery Assistance Program.
We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available and will bring in both state and federal experts to ensure our community has access to all available disaster assistance.
Essential Needs Distribution: The following drive-through locations will be open to distribute water and basic food. Supplies are on a first-come, first-served basis and will continue on a day-to-day basis per availability and need.
Distribution Locations | October 4th | Time: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.:
Tryon Equestrian
25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC
Columbus Town Hall
95 Walker St, Columbus, NC
Saluda Elementary Bus Parking Lot
214 E Main St, Saluda, NC
Tryon Town Hall
301 N Trade St, Tryon, NC
Sunny View Elementary
86 Sunny View School Rd. Mill Spring, NC 28756
Maximizing the Impact of Donations & Volunteer Efforts: To ensure that all donations and volunteer support are used effectively, we kindly request that you coordinate through BEOC@NCDPS.Gov. This will help us manage resources properly and maintain a safe, efficient response.
Help spread the word: Unsolicited donations cannot be accepted due to logistical challenges and safety concerns. Your cooperation allows us to focus on what matters most—assisting those in need.
Meals on Wheels: We are dedicated to ensuring that all clients registered for Meals on Wheels in Polk County receive not only meals but also physical contact during each delivery. Our priority is to provide consistent support, care, and essential nutrition to every client.
Landfill: Open Mon-Fri., 8am - 4:30pm, Saturdays 8am - 4pm, the $10 Service Fee is waived through Oct. 8th.
Emergency – 911
Welfare Checks / Non-Emergency – 828-722-5025 or 828-722-5026
Informational Hotline – 828-722-5086
4:30 p.m.
City of Asheville update:
Donation drop-off site
The City of Asheville is opening a new donation drop-off site at Harrah’s Cherokee Center for individuals and groups wanting to help during this crisis. The site can accept small donations including water, nonperishable food, personal care items, infant care, pet food supplies, disposable plates and utensils, clothing and cleaning supplies. However, it cannot accept anything requiring refrigeration or flammable liquids.
Donation Drop-off Site: Harrah's Cherokee Center 87 Haywood Street, at the front door
Operation Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., 7 days a week
Curbside collection of household waste will resume in targeted areas on Monday, October 7. Routes are being determined based on road accessibility and will be shared when available.
Download the AVL Collects app in the Apple Store or Google Play store to receive notifications about trash and recycling pickup in your area.
There will be no recycling pick up until the recycling plant is operational. Residents should use both recycling and trash carts for household waste. All waste will be collected as trash at this time by both City of Asheville and Curbie vehicles.
The following materials cannot be collected at this time: mud, construction debris, concrete, and other bulky or hazardous items. Debris collection is estimated to start in mid October.
4:25 p.m.
City of Greenville postpones Octoberfest at NOMA Square
In light of the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, we have made the difficult decision to postpone this weekend's Octoberfest at NOMA Square.
4:05 p.m.
South Carolina FEMA extension
People in Aiken, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Cherokee, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Lexington, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Saluda, Spartanburg and Union counties in South Carolina can now apply for assistance with FEMA.
People can apply in four ways: online by clicking here, calling 1-800-621-3362, on the FEMA App, or via disaster recovery centers.
4 p.m.
Spartanburg County Shelters
Bethlehem Baptist Church - 797 Old Georgia Road, Moore
Landrum First Baptist - 300 E. Rutherford Street, Landrum
Campobello First Baptist - 255 S. Main Street, Campobello
Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium - 385 N. Church Street, Spartanburg
Medical Needs Shelter (on USC Upstate's campus) - 365 Hodge Drive, Spartanburg
All shelters have food, water, places to sleep, and the ability to charge your devices.
Remember to call our Urgent Unmet Needs Line with any questions: (864) 860-1644.
3:58 p.m.
Greenville County 'long term' road closures
Greenville County, South Carolina officials compiled the following list of roads that face "long term" closure due to washout from flooding:
Mountain Creek Church Road
Sharon Drive
Neely Mill Road
Honeysuckle Road
Smith Circle
Lister Road
Heritage Drive
Hampton Avenue Extension
Tilley Road
Coleman Drive
Chick Springs Road
North Campbell Road
South Campbell Road
Center Road
Duckworth Road
3:50 p.m.
Post-Helene job opportunity
Spartanburg County is looking to staff around 60 trucks, with at least 100 people. The work could go on for up to eight months due to the amount of damage in the area. The hours are sun up to sun down for seven days a week. The job pays $1000+ per week, plus mileage reimbursement for travel. Officials are looking for tech savvy people, but will provide all training necessary.
DebrisTech Operations Manager, Robert Ellis said “We usually hire local people because a lot of times people are in distress and may be not working. Their place of business either got destroyed or is without water or power and we give them an opportunity to help clean the community and earn money at the same time.”
3:30 p.m.
Free Ice
ICE AGE ICE SCULPTURES OF GREENVILLE Has a supply of cooling and drinking ice and WATER that we will be giving away FREE today from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Small donations will be accepted but not required.
We are also accepting donations of cases of bottled water so that we can freeze for surrounding communities.
Please tell your friends, family and neighbors in need.
Bring coolers, totes, trash bags, etc. So that we can fill your items up. Come back as many times as needed.
3:20 p.m.
Donation drop-off
The Church of Anderson, at 1201 Rivers Heights Circle in Anderson, will be collecting the following items for donations:
Diapers
Infant formula
Sports drink powders
Protein bars
Toilet paper
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Ladies Hygiene Items
Socks (new only)
Sleeping bags
Blankets
Flashlights
Donated items will be picked up from the church this Saturday Oct. 5, between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. and flown to Asheville. The plane can take up to 1,000 pounds of supplies.
3:15 p.m.
Spectrum update:
In support of the preparation for and response to Hurricane Helene, Spectrum has opened more than 33,800 Spectrum WiFi Access Points in North Carolina and South Carolina. These access points are open to all users across both states until further notice.
Visit https://www.spectrum.com/wifi-hotspots for more information on the location of Spectrum WiFi Access Points. To connect your device, look for the "SpectrumWiFi" network under your device's WiFi settings.
3:10 p.m.
Verizon waives data usage
Verizon will waive domestic call, text, and data usage from Sept. 28 to Oct. 27 for postpaid consumer and Verizon Small Business customers in the following counties:
Georgia: Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Banks, Barrow, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clarke, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Coweta, Crisp, Decatur, Douglas, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Franklin, Glascock, Glynn, Grady, Greene, Habersham, Hancock, Hart, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Mitchell, Morgan, Montgomery, Oglethorpe, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Stephens, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Turner, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler, White, Wilkes, Worth.
North Carolina: Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Franklin, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Jones, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Richmond, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Washington, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey.
South Carolina: Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg, York.
This offer extends to all postpaid consumer and Verizon Small Business customers in the affected counties. No action is needed— overages will be automatically credited.*Verizon small business customers include customers with 50 lines or less.
2:54 p.m.
Greenville County Thursday afternoon update
According to officials, 37 percent of Greenville County is without power as of 1 p.m. Thursday:
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative: 2,470 affected
Duke Energy: 96,959 affected
Laurens Electric Cooperative: 3,424 affected
Duke Energy will provide an update later on Thursday regarding their restoration efforts.
Officials released the following information regarding damage due to Helene in Greenville County:
Nearly 1,300 buildings in Greenville County suffered minor damage (repairable, non-structural damage) due to Helene.
About 650 buildings in Greenville County suffered major damage (structural damage/other significant damage requiring extensive repairs) due to Helene.
Fifty-three buildings in Greenville County were destroyed (significant enough damage that the home is deemed a total loss) due to Helene.
2:45 p.m. update:
The South Carolina Emergency Management announced the roads that are still closed in Greenville County.
These roads include:
State Park Road
Camp Creek Road
Geer Highway/US 276
Tugaloo Road
Jones Mill Creek Road
East Suber Road
West Washington Street
Dacusville Highway
Howe Road
Taylor Road
South Hudson Street
Freeman Bridge Road
2 p.m.
Spectrum update:
Below is the only information we have been able to get from Spectrum.
"Right now, we have over 3,000 field leaders, technicians and engineers actively working around the clock to access and repair any damage to our network as a result of Helene and its aftermath. The overwhelming impact remains loss of commercial power. Once power is restored to homes, streets and neighborhoods, Spectrum customers are seeing their services come back online. Utility companies continue to clear and confirm safe, those harder hit areas, and our teams are gaining more access. Areas in Western North Carolina have seen considerable damage and remain inaccessible to our team at this time. We’re in regular contact with the power companies and local authorities and our teams are ready to begin work in these areas, once they are deemed safe and opened up to us."
1:30 p.m.
The School District of Pickens County announced Thursday that due to remaining power outages and hazardous road conditions, Friday, Oct. 4, will be an eLearning day.
Approximately 15% of the county remains without power, and transportation staff have assessed routes and found many roads to be unsafe for school and bus travel.
Our goal is to return to normal operations on Monday, Oct. 7.
eLearning days allow the district to use the day as a make-up without needing to add additional days to the school calendar. However, the district will extend extreme grace in the assignments provided and the timeline for collecting student work, given the challenges many families are still facing.
Full information is available here: www.pickens.k12.sc.us/article/1783589
1:20 p.m.
City of Hendersonville updates:
City buildings remain closed to the public for regular services at this time.
The 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew remains in effect for the City of Hendersonville and Henderson County.
CITY OF HENDERSONVILLE TO RESUME CALL SERVICES:
On Thursday, October 3, the City of Hendersonville resumed handling calls for water & sewer and other city-related services. During the height of Helene recovery, Henderson County stepped in to help the city by handling those calls. Residents can call 828-697-3052 for City-related services and visit www.hvlnc.gov/helene for ongoing updates.
It’s important to note Henderson County continues to operate its Emergency Operations Center line for county-related questions, shelters, resource hubs, etc. at 828-771-6670. Residents can also email helene-info@hcem.org.
SYSTEM PRESSURE ADVISORY LIFTED FOR MOST WATER CUSTOMERS:
This morning, Hendersonville Water & Sewer notified customers on their individual water status. Customers received notifications specific to their property to inform them of their status and will continue to receive updates as their status changes.
As of Oct. 3, at 10 a.m., Hendersonville Water & Sewer estimates the following status numbers for customers:
70% - No System Pressure Advisory / Water OK to drink
25% - System Pressure Advisory in Effect / Have Water Service
5% - No Water / Extended Outage Possible
Please refer to the map at www.hvlnc.gov/wateralerts to see if your property still needs to boil water or if you have been removed from the advisory. Those who remain under a System Pressure Advisory should continue to boil water before consumption. Hendersonville Water & Sewer will provide updates to customers in extended water outage areas.
ALL customers still need to actively conserve water. The utility continues to work to restore pressure and refill our reservoirs, Hendersonville Water & Sewer needs all its customers to conserve water. Specifically, this means avoiding washing cars, pressure washing and other activities that go beyond typical individual water use for drinking, bathing and sanitizing.
Unnecessary uses of water being observed in the community hinders the utility's ability to restore water pressure and get service restored to normal conditions for everyone.
We know there’s a lot of cleanup that needs to be done, but let's find ways to help each other get our systems back to full strength first.
GARBAGE & DEBRIS COLLECTION:
The City of Hendersonville wants to remind residents that open burning is prohibited in city limits. That includes the burning of storm debris.
Henderson County will provide curbside storm debris removal to all residents as a free service. The county will pick up storm debris that is pushed to the right of way of a property. Please be patient. The county will pick up this storm debris as soon as possible. Residents will need to place all items along the right of way in order for pickup.
Storm debris includes tree branches, leaves, logs, building materials, furniture, paint, etc. Please separate household garbage, construction debris, vegetative debris, large appliances, electronics and hazardous waste to expedite the removal process.
For household garbage, City of Hendersonville residents are asked to place their garbage carts out to the curb/street for collection. Recycling collection has been postponed until further notice.
We will not be on our regular collection schedule due to the storm. We will be collecting extra bags until further notice, but all household garbage must be placed in garbage bags (no grocery bags please). If your carts are missing or damaged, please email jdcase@hvlnc.gov. We will get them replaced as soon as we can. If you don't have a cart, please place your bagged garbage out to the curb/street for collection.
POST STORM SAFETY REMINDERS:
As Duke Energy and its contractors continue work to restore power across Henderson County, assume all downed power lines are live.
Many traffic lights in the city and county are still without power; when traffic lights at an intersection are out, drivers should treat it as a four-way stop.
Unplug electrical devices and turn off your main breakers if your home has experienced flooding or been impacted by the storm. Never use wet electrical devices!
Use flashlights instead of candles when the power is out. If you must use candles, NEVER leave them unattended! ️
Be cautious around damaged buildings. Storms can weaken structures, so avoid entering buildings that might be unsafe.
Carbon Monoxide Dangers: Never use gas or coal-burning equipment like grills, generators, or heaters inside your home, basement, or garage. Keep them outside and at least 20 feet from windows, doors, or vents to prevent deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.
The City Council will hold a Special Called Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 5:45 p.m. on the 2nd floor of City Hall, 160 6th Avenue East. Visit the City of Hendersonville Facebook or YouTube Page to learn about Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
1:05 p.m.
Henderson County update:
Henderson County remains in a State of Emergency and the 8 pm to 8 am curfew is still in effect for the entire County.
Donations
Our donation drop-off site at 118 McAbee Court, Flat Rock, NC 28731 continues to accept donations. One item we are told from the site we do not need currently is diapers. Non-perishable food items, bottled water, and toiletries are needed. We are not accepting perishable food or new/used clothing items at this time. This site is for donation drop offs only. Visit www.visithendersonvillenc.org/helene-relief for a full list of accepted items, donation information and volunteer opportunities.
Closure
The Ecusta Trail is closed. A contractor is clearing storm debris, and the trail is not safe for use. The public should avoid using the Ecusta Trail until further notice.
Trash drop-off
The Henderson County Convenience Center is open today. You can drop off bag for bag recycling and trash. The Automated Waste Lane is also open at the Transfer Station.
Debris pickup
Henderson County will provide free curbside storm debris pickup to county residents. The county is working with a contractor to pick up all storm debris on DOT, municipal and private roads. This process started on Oct. 2. The county is partnering with the municipalities within the county for this pickup service as well.
Storm debris that is pushed to the right of way of a property will be picked up. Please be patient. Debris will be up picked by us as soon as possible. Residents will need to place all items along the road right of way in order for pickup.
Storm debris includes tree branches, leaves, logs, building materials, furniture, paint, etc. Please separate household garbage, construction debris, vegetative debris, large appliances, electronics and hazardous waste to expedite the removal process. There is no need to take storm debris to the Convenience Center. The best way to remove debris is to place it on your curb.
Resources
Henderson County Resource Hub locations are open today Thursday, October 3rd for water distribution and other supplies as they become available.
The Resource Hub locations are:
Etowah Elementary, 320 Etowah School Road Etowah, NC 28729
Rugby Middle, 3345 Haywood Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28791
East Henderson High, 150 Eagle Pride Dr, East Flat Rock, NC 28726
North Henderson High, 35 Fruitland Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Mills River Town Hall, 124 Town Center Drive. Mills River, NC 28759
Fletcher Town Hall, 300 Old Cane Creek Rd Fletcher, NC 28732
Also, at four Resource Hubs we will also have free hot meals to go served twice daily around noon and 5 p.m. at four of the resource hubs in Henderson County. These to-go meals are first come, first served:
Etowah Elementary, 320 Etowah School Road Etowah, NC 28729
East Henderson High, 150 Eagle Pride Dr, East Flat Rock, NC 28726
North Henderson High, 35 Fruitland Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792
Mills River Town Hall, 124 Town Center Drive. Mills River, NC 28759
Our call center is available for all non-medical requests for information. Please call 828-771-6670 or email Helene-info@hcem.org. For emergencies, please call 911.
For more information visit www.hendersoncountync.gov/helene
1 p.m.
Buncombe County update:
Loss of Life
The number of lives lost in Buncombe County remains at 61.
Missing Persons
Buncombe County does not have an official number for unaccounted people because:
Search and rescue continue now for a seventh day. We are continuing to find survivors.
We know we have pockets of people who are isolated due to landslides and bridges out, so they are disconnected but not missing.
Power, Wi-Fi and phone coverage remains a barrier to connection.
Only once our search and rescue ends will we truly know a number of unaccounted for.
Power Update
85,000 customers remain without power as restoration efforts continue.
New Water and Food Distribution Sites:
Two new sites have opened at:
Cane Creek Middle, 570 Lower Brush Creek Road, Fletcher
Leicester Elementary, 31 Gilbert Road, Leicester
Both are open from noon to 4 p.m. providing water and ready-to-eat meals.
Other locations include Estes Elementary, Sand Hill Elementary, North Windy Ridge, Fairview Elementary, and Black Mountain Ingles. Starting at 2 p.m., non-potable water will be available at Estes Elementary - please bring containers.
Family Assistance
The Family Assistance Center, an initiative of our Register of Deeds office, has deployed 840 volunteers to check on 6,065 high-priority households with 700+ care packages distributed. As of Wednesday, October 2:
2,885 of our neighbors confirmed safe and sound by volunteers, and 1,828 confirmed safe and sound through email and text. If you want to volunteer, please report any time between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 205 College St., Asheville. Small donations of food, water, toiletries, baby formula, dog food, etc. can be dropped off, as well.
MSD Update
Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County has been operational and treating the entire time. It has 37 out of 40 pumps that are working with either backup power or with full power. They have a few transmission lines that have leaks and breakages, and they are working on repairing those and they are making progress.
FEMA Update
FEMA will remain active in the region for the duration of the response and the recovery. FEMA's number one priority remains to be life safety with search and rescue currently active and ongoing. Those who are able to do so should register for FEMA assistance by visiting dissasterassistance.gov or calling 1‑800‑621‑3362. This is a critical first stop for the recovery process, this includes the Serious Needs Assistance which provides cash for life-sustaining and life-saving supplies like food, water, and medical equipment supplies. There is also Displacement Assistance if you cannot be in your house.
Border Patrol Presence
Border Patrol Officers are in the region to provide security and support. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol are not conducting immigration enforcement operations in the area. They are also not present at any of our shelter sites.
Connectivity
AT&T has set up a public mobile connectivity station at Sam's Club, 645 Patton Ave, Asheville, offering charging stations and service for calls.
Big Ivy Community Center
The center is receiving emergency supplies and offering food, including free hamburgers and hot dogs starting at noon today, Oct. 3. Volunteers and donations are needed.
Assisted Care Facilities
All monitored facilities have been contacted, with water and gas for generators identified as key needs. Staff are conducting wellness checks for seniors, working with local partners to address needs.
Donations
Correction: Small donations should be dropped off at Beloved Asheville, 32 Old Charlotte Highway, Asheville, NC 28803, not Reynolds Middle Warehouse.
12:55 p.m.
Greenwood County help
Individuals in Greenwood County looking for assistance should call the United Way of the Lakelands at 864-854-9038.
12:50 p.m.
More Planet Fitness clubs open for Helene relief
Additional clubs in South Carolina have joined the initiative offering Planet Fitness members and non-members access to showers, locker rooms and outlets.
New clubs can be found below. The full list of participating clubs can be found below my signature.
Planet Fitness – Anderson, SC3223 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Anderson, SC 29625
Planet Fitness – Clemson, SC107 Canoy Ln., Clemson, SC 29631
Planet Fitness – Greenwood, SC542 By-pass 72 NW, Greenwood, SC 29649Planet Fitness – Seneca, SC107 Bilo Pl., Seneca, SC 29678
12:30 p.m.
Haywood County update:
The Haywood County Emergency Call Center is officially open daily 8am - 5pm to assist residents affected by Hurricane Helene. If you have questions or need assistance related to the storm's impact, please call the call center at 828-356-2020.
Our dedicated team is here to provide information on recovery efforts, resource availability, and any safety concerns you may have. For the most up-to-date information, please visit readyhaywood.com.
Visit Haywood’s number one priority is public safety. In collaboration with Haywood County organizations, including County Government, Emergency Services, the Sheriff's Office, and the Chamber of Commerce, we are strongly encouraging visitors to reschedule their upcoming trips for another time.
This decision also follows the direction of Governor Cooper, Visit North Carolina, and other state officials to advise against travel to impacted areas in Western North Carolina.Until further notice, we are asking all visitors to please refrain from traveling to Haywood County, as visitors may place additional strain on disaster relief efforts.
This region is still in an active emergency, and all resources need to be entirely focused on our residents and emergency workers.Popular roads for fall foliage sightseeing including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cataloochee Valley, US 276, and NC 215 are currently impassable or closed. All public lands, federal and local, are closed. Many other roads are blocked by mud, debris, or are washed out. Gas and food are in very short supply and there is extremely limited cell service and Internet. Most of Haywood County is under a boil water advisory. There is a county-wide curfew from 9PM to 7AM.Some businesses throughout Haywood County have started to reopen to provide much needed services and food for locals. However, due to the Internet outage, many are only taking cash payments and what they can offer is limited.Please check back here and on visithaywood.com/alerts on a weekly basis for continued updates. Our goal is to provide as much information as possible so that you can make informed decisions about future travel.
12:15 p.m.
City of Greenville update:
TD Saturday Market vendors and participants expressed overwhelming support for holding a market this weekend. 40+ vendors will be set up on Main Street between Court and Washington from 8 a.m. to noon.
For many, missing even a single market could result in financial loss. The market was canceled last weekend. Farmers and growers depend on the timely sale of perishable goods and our community relies on the market for fresh produce, including some items that are unavailable in stores due to the storm.
Many citizens have asked how they can give back. The market is partnering with United Way of Greenville County to host a "Fill the Penske for Greenville" donation drive.
Needed items include:
Canned goods with pop tops (vegetables, fruits, soups, meats)
Boxed meals (pasta, rice, cereal)
Peanut butter and protein bars
Bottled water and sports drinks
Diapers, baby wipes and formulas
Hygiene products (soap, toothpaste, feminine hygiene)
First aid supplies (bandages, pain relievers)
Cleaning supplies (disinfectant wipes, trash bags)
11:45 a.m.
Henderson County storm debris removal
Henderson County will provide free curbside storm debris to county residents. The county is working with a contractor to pick up all storm debris on DOT, municipal and private roads. This process started on Oct. 2. The county is partnering with the municipalities within the county for this pickup service as well.
Storm debris that is pushed to the right of way of a property will be picked up. Please be patient. Debris will be up picked by us as soon as possible. Residents will need to place all items along the road right of way in order for pickup.
Storm debris includes tree branches, leaves, logs, building materials, furniture, paint, etc. Please separate household garbage, construction debris, vegetative debris, large appliances, electronics and hazardous waste to expedite the removal process. There is no need to take storm debris to the Convenience Center. The best way to remove debris is to place it on your curb.
11:30 a.m.
Following Hurricane Helene, the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation is warning consumers to watch out for scams during property repairs.
More on how to spot a scam and resources to contact before work begins.
11:05 A.M.
Nationwide opens temporary aid distribution site
Thursday - Friday, Oct. 3-4
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily
Home Depot at 79 Woodruff Industrial Lane, Greenville
Amidst severe storm damage in the Greenville, South Carolina, region, a Nationwide Catastrophe Response Unit (CRU) is being deployed to offer humanitarian assistance and insurance claims guidance to Greenville-area residents. Available for Nationwide customers and those impacted by Helene, the CRU will be on location in the insurance village at the Home Depot at 79 Woodruff Industrial Lane offering necessities such as bottled water, sanitizer, personal hygiene products and snacks. Nationwide claims professionals will also be on hand to provide guidance on the claims process.
Nationwide customers are encouraged to start claims online at nationwide.com, through the Nationwide mobile app or by calling 800-421-3535.
10:55 a.m.
McDowell County Helene recovery operations Search and Rescue Operations Update
Operational efforts continue strong in McDowell County. Rescue teams continue to expeditiously and methodically search and ensure the safety of residents isolated by blocked roads and storm debris. McDowell County Emergency Services Director, Will Kehler, said, “We won’t stop until we account for all our citizens and visitors and ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met. Every single day we are moving the needle protecting and saving lives. The spirit of this community is one of determination and resilience, and we will not fail!”
McDowell County has received 330 missing persons reports through our call center and the online reporting form. As of this morning, 309 individuals have been safely accounted for, and their families have been notified. The McDowell County Sheriff's Office, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement teams, have been working around the clock to locate the remaining missing persons. These teams are conducting extensive search operations throughout the county to ensure that all individuals are found and reunited with their loved ones.
As of this morning, we can confirm that the number of confirmed fatalities related to Hurricane Helene stands at 0. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the families and loved ones with missing family and loved ones.
We continue to prioritize search and rescue efforts and are working around the clock to search for missing persons. Our primary search efforts focused on locating individuals who were easily contactable and visibly in need of assistance. Now, our teams are conducting secondary searches, utilizing specialized resources such as search dogs and drones to thoroughly check areas that were previously cleared, ensuring that any missing or hard-to-reach individuals are located.
Shelter Locations & Updates
YMCA (Red Cross General Public): 348 Grace Corpening Dr., Marion, NC
Glenwood Baptist (Persons with pets): 155 Glenwood Baptist Church Rd., Marion, NC
Senior Center Lower Level (Oxygen and Medical patients only): 100 Spaulding Rd. Suite 2, Marion, NC 28752
Food & Water Distribution
In coordination with logistics teams, the human services division is facilitating the delivery of essential resources, including water tankers, bottled water, MREs, and other food items, to affected areas throughout McDowell County. Operations are ongoing around the clock to ensure no one is left without access to these essentials.
For up-to-date information on food and water distribution, shelter availability, community meals, and disaster assistance, visit www.mcdowellcares.org or call the McDowell County Helene Hotline at (828) 652-3241.
Food and Water Distribution Centers
Distribution will take place daily from:
10:00 a.m. until supplies last
4:00 p.m. until supplies last
Locations:
Woodlawn (Hicks Chapel Church): 6008 Hwy 221 N, Marion
North Cove (Former TJ’s): 8153 Hwy 221 N, Marion
Old Fort (Columbia Forest Old Fort Warehouse): 1 Water Street, Old Fort, NC
Dysartsville (Solid Rock Freewill Baptist Church): 7860 Hwy 226 S, Nebo
Marion (New Manna Baptist Church): 225 E. Court Street, Marion
Sugar Hill (Zion Hill Baptist Church): 1036 Zion Hill Rd., Marion
Community Meals
Warm meals are served daily at the following location:
Grace Community Church: 5182 US 70 West, Marion, NC
Meal times: 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Medical and Oxygen Support
Open Pharmacies
Ingles Pharmacy
Marion Pharmacy
Prescription Pad
Walmart Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy
McDowell Pharmacy of Old Fort is open until 3pm (no phone service)
Assistance for Homebound Insulin Needs
Individuals who are isolated and need access to insulin can contact the Helene Hotline for assistance.
Oxygen Assistance
Patients who are homebound or without power and need help with oxygen cylinders or charging oxygen concentrators can call the Helene Hotline at (828) 652-3241 for support.
10:30 a.m.
City of Asheville update:
City Offices and Parks will be closed until further notice.
HEALTH RESOURCES
Find information including pharmacies on Buncombe County’s website: buncombecounty.org
HOUSEHOLD TRASH COLLECTION
Curbside collection of household waste (only bagged trash) will resume in targeted areas on Monday, October 7. Routes are being determined based on road accessibility and will be shared when available.
● Download the AVL Collects app to receive notifications about trash and recycling pickup in your area.
You can find the AVL Collects app in Google Play Store of Apple App Store.
● There will be no recycling pick up until the recycling plant is operational. Residents should use both recycling and trash carts for household waste. All waste will be collected as trash at this time by both
City of Asheville and Curbie vehicles.
● The following materials cannot be collected at this time: mud, construction debris, concrete, and other bulky or hazardous items. Debris collection is estimated to start in mid October.
CELLULAR SERVICE
Temporary Verizon cellular satellite trailers are located at the Family Justice Center at 35 Woodfin Street and Groce United Methodist Church at 954 Tunnel Road. These towers offer limited cellular reception within several city blocks of where it is parked. Additionally, T-Mobile has set up satellite cellular on light trucks in Asheville, providing cellular service along with Wi-Fi and charging stations at: Asheville Middle School at 211 S French Broad Ave, and Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center at 285 Livingston St.
FOOD & WATER DISTRIBUTION
The City has received water supplies and is distributing at the locations below. Resources continue to be
limited and residents are advised to conserve.
Distribution Locations:
● Pack Square Park (70 Court Plaza): Bring your own water container, 2 gallons per person/day, walk-up
● Asheville Middle School (211 S. French Broad Ave): 1 case of bottled water per family/day, drive thru
WATER UTILITY SERVICE
When will service be restored?
Tropical Storm Helene severely damaged the production and distribution system of the City of Asheville’s water system. Extensive repairs are required to treatment facilities, underground and aboveground water pipes, and to roads that have washed away.
That repair process has already begun and critical materials arrived at North Fork and Mills River on Tuesday (10/1) and are already being worked into the distribution system.
Although providing a precise timeline is impossible, it is important to note that restoring service to the full system could potentially take weeks. As repairs progress, water service will return to some areas before others, based solely on the level of damage to the system.
FOOD & WATER DISTRIBUTION
Food in the form of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) and bottled water are available at two distribution sites beginning today. Two MRE packages per adult, and one per child will be allowed per day. Cases of bottled
water are available, one case per family per day. Distribution will last until 7 p.m. or until supplies run out.
● Asheville Middle School, 211 S. French Broad Avenue, Asheville
● Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Road, Asheville
Other Water Distribution sites - open until 7pm, or supplies run out
● Bulk water at Pack Square Park (70 Court Plaza) - Some containers are available but please bring your own if possible.
SHELTERS
● General public shelter at WNC Agricultural Center (pets accepted) - 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher
● General public shelter at AB Tech - 6 Fernihurst Drive, Asheville, NC 28801 (use Victoria Road entrance)
● Medical emergency shelter at AB Tech - 10 Genevieve Circle, Asheville, NC 28801
● Old Gold’s Gym - 1815 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
BUS SERVICE
Bus service remains suspended while buses are involved in relief efforts. While performing this service, the bus destination sign will say "Special Assignment."
ASHEVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
APD is at full patrol staffing with an additional 45 State and Federal agencies supporting. Officers are working to 1) guard food and water distribution sites and critical infrastructure 2) protect medical facilities and pharmacies from theft 3) conduct search and rescues, welfare checks, and reunification to family 4) securing
areas with severe damage, 5) providing patrols where thefts have occurred.
To report a missing person, fill out this form: https://forms.gle/ovyjJ9zfdUcJVHDw6 which can also be found on City of Asheville’s website.
ASHEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT
AFD continues efforts in heavily affected areas and canvassing neighborhoods for needs. AFD and other resources are committing personnel to targeted searches to help locate missing people. For those needing medical assistance or for those who cannot call 911, each fire station will have a firefighter available 24/7.
There are 16 different fire department agencies from across the state assisting AFD on our fire trucks.
**If you have no power, turn the breakers off at the main panel to prevent a power surge and risk of fire when power returns.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
The Development Services Department will be set up to receive and issue permits for removal and replacement of damaged areas. Permit fees will be waived for removal and repair permits.
For questions about buildings affected by this storm:
City of Asheville Building Safety Division at 828-259-5846 * email buildingsafety@ashevillenc.gov.
Electronic applications may be submitted to: develop.ashevillenc.gov
NEW DONATION DROP-OFF SITE
The City of Asheville, partnering with United Way, has opened a new donation drop-off site for individuals and groups wanting to help during this crisis.
The site can accept small donations, including water, nonperishable food, personal care items, infant care, pet food supplies, disposable plates and utensils, clothing, and cleaning supplies, including buckets. However, it cannot accept anything requiring refrigeration or flammable liquids.
Donation Drop-off Site: Harrah's Cherokee Center 87 Haywood Street, at the front door
Hours and Days of Operation: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., seven days a week
Sign up for AVL Alerts on the City of Asheville website at www.ashevillenc.gov and follow on Facebook or X at @AshevilleFD.
10:15 a.m.
SC Department of Insurance Event
The South Carolina Department of Insurance is working to help people make claim filings as easy as possible in the wake of Helene. Department employees are on hand to help at the Home Depot at 79 Woodruff Industrial Lane in Greenville on Thursday until 6:00 p.m. and on Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. They're offering assistance to policy holders and information to help prevent insurance fraud and scams.
9:55 a.m.
T-Mobile Helene recovery efforts
South Carolina and North Carolina we currently have more than 500 engineers and emergency crew members deployed, over 250 portable generators in place (a number that is increasing every day!) and T-Mobile teams are currently offering charging and Wi-Fi connectivity at several locations, during their open hours. We’ve been working to quickly restore coverage. In the first 24 hours of access, we restored 132 sites just on the first day. That number has increased as that work continues daily.
9:25 a.m.
McDowell County update from Marion Police Department:
Here are 3 Ways you can apply for disaster aid:
ONLINE @ DisasterAssistance.gov
FEMA APP: Download the FEMA APP @ https://www.fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products
CALL: 800-621-3362
***WATCH OUT FOR FEMA SCAMS***
Q: Is FEMA giving hotel vouchers in McDowell County as of 10/2/24?
A: No. FEMA has not activated the TSA program yet.
Q: Is FEMA in McDowell County?
A: While you may see FEMA teams in McDowell, these are currently search and rescue teams and other personnel. McDowell EOC has verified that we do not currently have FEMA inspectors in the field yet. However, there are some FEMA representatives in the area at shelters checking in with sheltered residents to assist with resources.
Important Information:
Some citizens have received a standard FEMA info sheet that a FEMA inspector would typically provide after an inspection. This is not a voucher.
FEMA is providing support and will be in the community soon. While we are working hard as a community to recover, we are still focused on life safety and locating missions.
How to Identify FEMA Inspectors:
If you see a FEMA inspector at your home, they will have an official FEMA badge with their name and photo. Please remember to verify their identity.
9:50 a.m.
Spartanburg County update:
Parks and community centers will remain closed at least until Monday, Oct. 7, as our team members continue to assist with storm recovery.
The Wellford Landfill will remain open, accepting household waste from 7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday - Saturday. The following recycling centers are open 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Monday - Saturday:
Station 1 - Quarter Mile Road
Station 2 - Valley Falls
Station 5 - Dexter Road
Station 6 - New Prospect
Station 11 - Wofford Road, Woodruff (this station still does not have power, so no cardboard or commingled recycling will be accepted - only household waste.)
Spartanburg County Administration Building is open.
9:40 a.m.
Greenville County burn ban
The State Forestry Commission has issued a Burn Ban, which prohibits all outdoor burning, including yard debris burning, in unincorporated areas, as well as burning for forestry, wildlife or agricultural purposes. The ban does not apply to fires used for the preparation of food or fires used in appropriate enclosures (portable outdoor fireplaces, chimineys, or permanent fire pits constructed of stone, masonry, metal or other noncombustible material that conforms with all applicable South Carolina fire codes). The burning ban is intended to ease the strain on firefighting personnel and law enforcement officials, many of whom were dispatched to affected areas to assist with road clearing, damage assessment and related cleanup.
9:30 a.m.
North Carolina farmers markets serve as Helene donation drop-off sites
Three of North Carolina’s state-operated farmers markets will begin serving as drop-off locations for hurricane relief supplies starting Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 6. Times are as follows:
State Farmers Market, 1201 Agriculture St., Raleigh: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Robert G. Shaw Piedmont Triad Farmers Market, 2914 Sandy Ridge Road, Colfax: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, 1801 Yorkmont Road, Charlotte: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
In addition, the Western N.C. Farmers Market is serving as a collection and distribution site through Oct. 5 for MANNA FoodBank after its warehouse was destroyed during Hurricane Helene. Donation hours at this site are 8 a.m. to noon and distribution hours are 1 to 4 p.m. Items needed at this location include shelf-stable food (pop-top cans preferred), bottled water, baby and toddler formula and food, and diapers.
“The tremendous need in our Western N.C. communities is being met by an outpouring of support from across the state, and these collection locations will give community members a place to drop off much needed supplies,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Please bring only what is being requested at this time as these items represent the most pressing needs in the impacted areas.”
At the Raleigh, Colfax and Charlotte markets, the only items being accepted at this time include:
First Aid Kits
Bottled Water
Feminine Products
Diapers (infant and adult)
Baby wipes
Manual Breast Pumps
Baby Formula (ready to use)
Baby Spoons
Paper plates
Plastic Utensils
Paper Towels
Batteries
Flashlights
Solar Charger Packs
Candles
Lighters, non-electric can openers
Shelf-stable Food (pop top cans preferred)
Dog and cat food
Bleach
Vinegar
Cleaning supplies
9:30 a.m.
AT&T Connectivity Center opens
AT&T has deployed its Mobile Connectivity Center to the Sam’s Club at 645 Patton Ave, in Asheville. The MCC is an air-conditioned mobile unit open to the public, equipped with laptops, charging stations, and Wi-Fi. The public can use the MCC for various needs such as contacting their insurance company, filling out paperwork, or connecting with loved ones.
8:10 a.m.
The American Diabetes Association released this information about resources for people living with diabetes who are affected in the aftermath of Helene.
What to do with unused insulin during a power outage, emergency prescription refill waivers, and a guide to switching insulin in the event regular medication isn’t available.
Online resource to find open pharmacies nearby.
Important considerations for people with diabetes, such as the need to monitor for infection from walking through contaminated water or injuring their feet.
1-800-DIABETES helpline, available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
8 a.m.
UNC Health Pardee Update:
Pardee Hospital and the emergency department remain open 24/7 for emergent medical care, along with the following locations:
Pardee Rx - Fleming
Pardee Urgent Care, Brevard
Pardee Urgent Care, Hendersonville
Pardee BlueMD - 1027 Fleming St., Hendersonville (9 am - 4 pm)
Pardee BlueMD - 611 5th Ave. West, Hendersonville (9 am - 4 pm)
Pardee BlueMD - 1824 Pisgah Dr., Laurel Park (9 am - 4 pm)
Pardee BlueMD - 6503 Brevard Rd., Etowah (10 am - 4 pm)
Pardee BlueMD - 2695 Hendersonville Rd., Suite 200, Arden (9 am - 4 pm)
Pardee BlueMD - 2775 Hendersonville Rd., Arden (9 am - 4 pm)
Pardee BlueMD - 1409 Asheville Hwy., Brevard (9 am - 4 pm)
Pardee Cancer Center (for scheduled infusions and injections, and acute care needs)
Pardee Pain Center
Pardee Wound Center (nurse visits only)
Pardee Cardiology Associates, Brevard
Pardee Cardiology Associates, Hendersonville
Pardee Neurology Associates, Arden (9 am - 4 pm)
Pardee Neurology Associates, Hendersonville (9 am - 4 pm)
Vascular Surgery at Pardee
Outpatient Radiology
Pardee @Work, Thompson St.
Southeastern Sports Medicine and Orthopedics, Asheville Hwy/Hendersonville, Brevard, Waynesville
Patients with scheduled surgeries and procedures will be contacted regarding their appointment.
PARDEE CANCER CENTER
Pardee Cancer Center will return to operations today, excluding radiation treatment. The team will see patients with scheduled visits as well as active patients who need acute care services for conditions related to their cancer treatment. For questions, concerns, and appointments call (828) 694-4300.
CLOSINGS / CANCELLATIONS
Hops for Hope is canceled.
The 10/3 Labor and Delivery class is canceled.
Pardee BlueMD practices not listed above are closed.
Pardee specialty practices not listed above are closed.
Pardee Physical Therapy locations are closed.
Patients can expect a call to reschedule their appointment in the coming days.
Please continue to look for updates on our social channels and at pardeehospital.org.
6:50 a.m.
Partnering with Chartwells K12, Spartanburg One will continue its free meal distribution TODAY at Landrum High School (Front Office)and Mabry Middle School (Cafeteria) from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM (or until supplies last). Families are encouraged to stop by and pick up a "to-go" meal for their loved ones.
For those needing a place to freshen up, hot showers are available today at Landrum High School from 10 AM to 2 PM.
6:45 a.m.
All North Carolina state parks closed
west of Interstate 77 are closed through at least Oct. 31, the Division of Parks and Recreation announced. These parks include Chimney Rock, Crowders Mountain, Elk Knob, Gorges, Grandfather Mountain, Lake James, Lake Norman, Mount Mitchell, New River, South Mountains, and Stone Mountains state parks, as well as Mount Jefferson State Natural Area and Rendezvous Mountain.
In addition, all events and programs at all state parks have been canceled through Oct. 31, with the exception of Dismal Day, Oct. 12, at Dismal Swamp State Park; Fear at the Fort, Oct. 18-19 and 25-26, at Fort Macon State Park; and a Schools in Parks training, Oct. 26, at Carolina Beach State Park.
6:15 a.m.
Grandparents found hugging each other after fallen tree killed them in their South Carolina home. Full story below:
Grandparents found hugging each other after fallen tree killed them in their South Carolina home
6 a.m.:
Food distribution begins at McAlister Square in Greenville County at 10 a.m. More free food locations here.
5:32:
Greenville County announces new information on debris pick up.
First debris pickup done! Thousands more to go! Greenville County's disaster generated debris pickup is officially underway! We wanted to share a bit more about this process and hopefully answer any questions you might have: We have 50+ trucks dedicated to this effort - some very large like the ones pictured here, and others smaller and more nimble to help reach more remote areas! This will be a month long process - we will be making multiple pickups on every county maintained road, on several different days. So, if you can't get it all out right away please know that we will be returning for additional pickups! Please be patient as we will make our way to everyone. For more, click here.
5:30 a.m. Biltmore Estate closed
"Due to impacts from Tropical Storm Helene, Biltmore Estate is temporarily closed as we assess damage from the storm. Please visit biltmore.com/weather-updatefor information on how this temporary closure impacts your visit or stay."
For Wednesday updates, click here.