Madison County is reeling after Hurricane Helene caused widespread damage and flooding. Mayors of the hardest-hit towns, Marshall and Hot Springs, have vowed to rebuild in the wake of the destruction. In Marshall, Mayor Aaron Haynie reported fatalities from the storm.
📸 Mudslide on I-40 near Old Fort, McDowell County
📸 Floodgates opened at Oxford Dam over Lake Hickory
📸 Water encroaching on NC 16 bridge at Alexander/Catawba County line
📸 https://t.co/AGDVnBcrXk updated with restricted travel zone pic.twitter.com/Jn007znryC— NCDOT (@NCDOT) September 28, 2024
“We’ll build back and make things better for our town,” he said.
🚨 All roads in Western NC should be considered closed 🚨
Do not travel unless an emergency or seeking higher ground
Do not drive through standing water
Respect barricades and road closures#TurnAroundDontDrown #Helene #ncwx pic.twitter.com/gjfrZJBPHm— NCDOT (@NCDOT) September 27, 2024
The downtown area is covered in mud and debris, with one business owner reporting water rising seven feet high in her shop. Hot Springs also suffered severe impacts.
Hurricane #Helene made landfall in Florida last night as a major category 4 hurricane, with a storm surge causing catastrophic damage, but what is a storm surge? pic.twitter.com/XssmWGmmw8
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 27, 2024
Fire Chief David Wagner described conducting two rescues and seeing water push through walls, take out buildings, and move them entirely. “There are holes in the floors of buildings. City hall, the floor is buckled; all the buildings up and down this street are just destroyed,” Mayor Abigail Norton said.
Madison County recovery efforts underway
Residents shared their heartbreak at the devastation. “When I saw this, I broke out in tears, man.
To those of you following us in Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky…#Helene is causing a life threatening flash flood threat and significant wind threat. Do not travel today if you can avoid it. Your vehicle will not protect you.… pic.twitter.com/6bCu4gpEWV
— National Weather Service (@NWS) September 27, 2024
It’s my home, and now it’s gone,” Hot Springs resident Thomas Manning said. Marshall resident Briar Allman urged the community to keep them in their thoughts: “It just takes my breath away. It’s been here for so long.
Keep us in your thoughts, don’t forget little Marshall. We’ll build back.”
Despite the destruction, Mayor Haynie noted the resilience and compassion of the community. “As many bad things as I’ve seen, I’ve seen a lot of good things in recent days with strangers hugging strangers,” he remarked.
Resources and donation drop-offs for those in need can be brought to Madison High School. As the cleanup begins, the mayors and residents of Madison County are determined to recover and rebuild their towns, even as they grapple with the immense damage left by Hurricane Helene.
