As Tropical Storm Helene continues to weaken, its strong winds and heavy rainfall are causing significant disruption across the Southeast United States, particularly in North Carolina where evacuations have been ordered in at least one county.
Rutherford County’s Emergency Management has instructed residents living along specific roads to evacuate to higher ground due to water surpassing the Lake Lure Dam, as announced in a government Facebook post on Friday morning.
In a subsequent update shared at 6 p.m. ET, emergency officials noted that the water levels at Lake Lure Dam are starting to decrease. So far, emergency rescue teams have conducted over 25 “swift water rescues.”
Earlier in the day, the department reported that water was “cresting the Dam and flowing around the side walls.” They indicated that while “structural supports have been compromised, the Dam wall is currently holding.” Evacuations have taken place from the Dam area to Island Creek Road, with evacuation sirens now sounding downstream. Emergency personnel are collaborating with structural engineers and are going door-to-door to ensure all residents have evacuated, transporting evacuees temporarily to Ingles in Lake Lure.
These developments follow alarming reports from the Rutherford County Emergency Management regarding “catastrophic flows along the Broad River into Lake Lure,” which have led to significant flooding downstream, as confirmed by the National Weather Service (NWS).
Officials released a list of roads requiring evacuations, which is available on the Rutherford County Emergency Management Facebook page.
Furthermore, emergency management urged residents to stay home if they are not in evacuation zones, cautioning that road conditions are hazardous due to numerous fallen trees and downed electrical lines.
The dam is located approximately 30 miles southeast of Asheville.
In addition, flood warnings have been issued across various counties and towns in Western North Carolina, including Avery, Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes, and Boone.
Tragically, a 4-year-old child lost their life, and others sustained injuries from a vehicle accident in Catawba County on Thursday when Helene’s outer bands affected the state. In Charlotte, a person died and another was hospitalized after a tree fell onto a home early Friday morning, according to the Charlotte Fire Department, which confirmed the incident as storm-related.
The NWS had previously warned that Helene’s outer rain bands would reach Western North Carolina on Thursday, potentially bringing an additional six to ten inches of rain along with high winds. Meteorologist Clay Chaney emphasized that residents should not underestimate the severity of the impending conditions, which could lead to “catastrophic, life-threatening flooding.”
This story has been updated to include the latest information.