More than 500 troops have conducted 117 rescues in Western NC

(WSPA) – More than 500 National Guard soldiers have helped completed more than 100 rescue operations in the last two days in Western North Carolina, according to Major Gen. Todd Hunt with the North Carolina National Guard.

Hunt was one of multiple state level officials to speak at a press conference Sunday afternoon offering an update on conditions and rescue efforts in Western N.C..

“As of this morning, our soldiers and airmen have conducted numerous rescues. And a lot of those have been air rescues,” Hunt said. “Of those we rescued over 119 citizens of NC and their pets.”

Search and rescue crews logged 252 hours of flight time on Friday and Saturday, and were back in the air again Sunday.

Troops have conducted 17 rescue operations in the Chimney Rock area, and Hunt said the largest rescue operation saved 41 people in Buncombe County a little north of Asheville.

With still hundreds of people missing and many roads still washed out or too damaged to travel on, Hunt said troops will remain in the area doing rescue work “until the mission is complete.”

During Sunday’s conference, Gov. Roy Cooper said state agencies are continuing to work to get to people who have been cutoff by storm damage.

“Even as the rain and winds have subsided, the challenges for people there increases. People are desperate for help and we are pushing to get it to them, a massive effort,” said Cooper.

Cooper said multiple state agencies have begun working together to get support to communities which saw historic rainfall and flooding.

“Because it’s so difficult to get trucks in by land, yesterday we began airlifting supplies including food and water into the region,” he said.

According to Joey Hopkins, secretary of NCDOT, 280 roads have been closed in in Western North Carolina, all attributed to Tropical Storm Helene.

The majority of those roads are located in Henderson, Ashe, Buncombe, Lincoln, Cleveland, Jackson, Transylvania and Yancey Counties. 52 of the closed roads are primary routes, including two major outages near the Tennessee border and near Old Fort.

Hopkins said work crews have already begun assessing damage and trying to make repairs where they can, but they are facing some challenges – including people driving around to look at storm damage.

“Unnecessary travel is hindering our crews from doing the work to get our roads open. Our message is simple, consider all roads in Western North Carolina to be closed until further notice,” he said.

While state agencies work to repair infrastructure and rescue people stuck in their homes, Cooper said people from all over the state have been asking for ways to help.

“This is an unprecedented tragedy which requires an unprecedented response,” Cooper said.

To that end. the state opened on Saturday a direct relief fund, managed by Red Cross, which will benefit those impacted by the storm. Anyone who would like to donate can do so at nc.gov/donate.

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