Damage from Helene in Caldwell County exceeds that of Hurricane Hugo, county says

Tropical Storm Helene landed in Caldwell County the evening of Thursday, Sept. 26, where heavy rain led to widespread flooding across the county, while high winds have downed trees and power lines across the area. The county has issued a state of emergency effective Wednesday, Sept. 25, and has advised residents to stay off the roads.

Power outages have affected a large number of Caldwell residents, with Duke Energy reporting 297 active outages with 21,378 of its 24,064 customers in the county without power as of noon, Friday. Blue Ridge Energy has reported 15,561 members affected by outages as of the same time. Emergency responders have been stretched thin between emergency response efforts and the need to direct traffic along areas such as 321 where power outages have taken down stoplights. Many residents have also lost internet access.

Blue Ridge Energy, according to a Friday press release, has its line technicians working "tirelessly" to restore power to its members, though the cooperative anticipates full recovery to take several days. Public relations director Renee Walker said the damage was worse than the 2009 ice storms and similar to Hurricane Hugo.

"Flooding, mud slides and downed trees are blocking access to many of the damaged locations we need to reach to repair lines, replace broken power poles and rebuild some sections of the electric system. Line crews are using chainsaws and removing a multitude of downed trees to reach damaged locations, often in very remote areas," Walker said. "In many cases, more trees are falling onto power lines just as we get power restored. Crews are working in very dangerous conditions and damage is continuing as trees fall from saturated ground."

Although many areas of the county are experiencing flooding, the Colletsville community has been hit especially hard, according to county public information officer Paige Counts, with heavy flooding and downed lines effectively turning the community into an island. Counts also shared that Wilson Creek, as of 2 p.m. on Friday, was seeing water levels 16 feet higher than normal, leading to at least one swiftwater rescue in which two individuals were pulled from the water in the area, according to Counts.

"There is an expectation for rain and winds to continue into the evening, so there is potential for continued damage," Counts said. "The floodwaters have not crested yet, so again there is potential for more damage."

Counts added that the damages, at this time, have exceeded those inflicted by Hurricane Hugo when it landed in 1989.

An emergency shelter has been opened at West Caldwell High School for those displaced by the storm, those in need may enter through the cafeteria where the school buses are parked, according to a Facebook post from the county. The shelter has some limited kennel spots for dogs and cats.

The county is also implementing a curfew from 7 p.m. on Friday to 7 a.m. on Saturday, with potential to extend the curfew to Saturday or Sunday, if the emergency conditions persist. The county continues to advise residents to stay off the roads if at all possible, for their own safety and for the safety of emergency responders.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation said, "all roads in Western NC should be considered closed ... do not travel unless it's an emergency or looking for a better shelter. Don't drive through stagnant water. Respect all barricades and road closures."