Hurricane Helene hits hard in Gaston County

Nearly two-thirds of Gaston County’s residents were without power Friday afternoon because of Hurricane Helene.

Crews continue to work to restore power after the storm trudged through North Carolina Thursday into Friday.

In Gastonia alone, city officials said more than 100 trees fell during the storm, many on power lines.

The storm also brought with it 4 to 8 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

Emergency Management and Fire Services continued to monitor water levels of Mountain Island Lake and the Catawba and South Fork rivers.

As of Friday afternoon, Mountain Island Lake was anticipated to rise 10 feet above maximum levels, and voluntary evacuations were issued for the Nivens Cove neighborhood adjacent to the lake.

On Thursday, a shelter was opened in Dallas. By Friday afternoon, the shelter was relocated to Belmont Middle School, 1020 South Point Road.

Residents with non-emergency concerns or needs were urged to utilize GCOEMFS’ email or phone hotlines at GastonIncidentInfo@GastonGov.com or 704-862-6281 and reserve 911 for true life-threatening emergencies.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Hurricane Helene hits hard in Gaston County