North Carolina
North Carolina live updates: Death toll in triple digits as search, recovery continues
(This article will be updated. Read our earlier coverage here.)
It’s been a week since Tropical Storm Helene marched through North Carolina, bringing heavy rains to already water-logged areas. The storm left communities devastated, roads impassable and thousands without power.
The state’s death toll climbed to at least 108 people Thursday as searches continued for hundreds of missing residents throughout Western North Carolina, officials said.
More communities were beginning to transition from relief to recovery by Friday, but many local and state officials cautioned them, saying a return to normalcy would take weeks, not days, as the full scope of Helene’s devastation is not expected to be known for some time.
Check back for live updates as they roll in throughout the day Friday.
The first fatality related to Tropical Storm Helene in McDowell County has been confirmed, according to an Oct. 4 news release from the county. The identity of the deceased is being withheld out of respect for the family, officials said.
Rescue teams in the county are continuing to search for missing individuals and provide aid – the county suggests the Helene Hotline at 828-652-3241 for reporting missing persons or requesting assistance. As of Friday morning, McDowell emergency personnel numbers were over 600.
The death toll in Western North Carolina had risen to at least 108 people Thursday with officials saying the number could climb even higher as search efforts continue throughout the region.In hard-hit Buncombe County, 72 deaths had been confirmed so far, according to Sheriff Quentin Miller.
— Iris Seaton, Citizen-Times
The death toll in Western North Carolina had risen to at least 108 people Thursday with officials saying the number could climb even higher as search efforts continue throughout the region.
In hard-hit Buncombe County, 72 deaths had been confirmed so far, according to Sheriff Quentin Miller.
Avery County Manager Philip Barrier on Tuesday confirmed five deaths from Helene floodwaters after false information began circulating on social media, claiming 200 people had died in the county seat of Newland.
And in a report from Henderson County Thursday, Chief Communications Officer Mike Morgan confirmed there had been nine deaths as a result of Tropical Storm Helene.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports the following deaths in the following counties:
- Yancey: Nine
- Cleveland: Two
- Watauga: Two
- Burke: One
- Catawba: One
- Gaston: One
- Macon: One
- Madison: One
- Mecklenburg: One
- Polk: One
- Rutherford: One
- Yadkin: One
— Staff Reports
Hot meals for hurricane survivors: A comprehensive guide is up now
Looking for a hot meal, water or other supplies or food boxes? There’s now a comprehensive county by county listing for all of WNC to assist in the effort. Find it here.
Buncombe County: Important updates to know
FEMA is on the ground. The nation’s top Incident Management Team is here from New York City. Electricity is slowly coming back, and resources are getting distributed with greater reach, but WNC is still in crisis and the extent of the damage is still being assessed.
Recovery briefings are broadcast at 88.1 FM and on Buncombe County’s Facebook page at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day.
For updated city information each day, click here. For updated County information, click here.
FINDING THE MISSING
During the Thursday afternoon briefing, officials estimated that more than 200 people remain missing in Buncombe County. For those missing a family member or friend, complete this form to notify Buncombe Co. officials.
Other organizations are also working on missing persons requests: The United Way is conducting welfare checks and active searches. Please use this form to connect with United Way’s reunification program. The Red Cross has helpful tips for getting in touch and, if you are looking for people who have not been found, you can use this form. People can also request wellness checks by texting “Person” to 40403. That goes to NC 211 and the texter will get a link to a form.
URGENT CARE SERVICES
Mercy Urgent Care has walk-in locations open at the following addresses from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.:
- West Asheville: 1201 Patton Ave.
- Weaverville: 61 Weaver Blvd.
- Brevard: 22 Trust Lane
- Waynesville: 120 Frazier St.
- Foothills: 140 W Mills St.
Novant Go-Health Urgent Care, 349 New Leicester Highway, is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Please note, these facilities treat non-life-threatening conditions. For emergencies, dial 911.
TRASH AND RECYCLING
Residents can take trash to the county landfill, 85 Panther Branch Road in Alexander. Wastepro is scheduled to announce about Friday pick up Thursday. Also on Thursday, Wastepro will have three drop off locations for trash. Storm debris will not be collected. Here are the sites:
Ingles @ 2901 Hendersonville Road in Fletcher
Ingles @ 1865 1865 Hendersonville Road in Asheville
Ingles @ 225 Charlotte Highway in Asheville
DISASTER UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AVAILABLE
People in Buncombe County who are unemployed as a direct result of Hurricane Helene may be eligible for unemployment benefits. Business owners and self-employed individuals affected by the storm may also qualify for benefits.
- People have 60 days from Oct. 1 to file an application for DUA at des.nc.gov. The deadline to apply is Dec. 2, 2024. If you are not able to file through the website, you can call the DUA Hotline at 919-629-3857.
- To get DUA benefits, all required documentation must be submitted within 21 days from the day the DUA application is filed. DES will work with people who cannot provide all documentation to ensure that their unemployment benefits are not delayed.
— Staff Reports
RALEIGH, N.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is ending its annual survey that tracks hunger in the country, despite the rise in food costs.
Here in North Carolina, where more than 600,000 people face food insecurity, local organizations like The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina say the cuts could affect how they can serve families in the state.
At the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, dozens of volunteers spend hours packing boxes with bread, milk, meat and canned goods, some essentials for families who can’t afford to purchase them on their own.
Here in North Carolina, officials say over 600,000 people face food insecurity. That’s why staff and volunteers say the timing couldn’t be worse.
Volunteer Cathy Engel says it’s not just about packing the food, but building a connection with a family even if it’s brief.
“Meeting all the people that come in and talking to them, that’s what makes me want to continue to come,” Engel said.
She says that in her five years of service she’s seen the need for food increase, but supplies are decreasing.
“We’re much more limited in what we give out, and even what the food shelves are limited in, what they’re allowed to get from this distribution center,” she said.
Vice President Jason Kanawati Stephany agreed, saying that the USDA’s decision could cause more harm than good to communities in need.
“Our pantries are seeing near unprecedented need. So we don’t need that government data to validate that experience,” Kanawati Stephany said. “But here’s where the government data is vital. It’s vital for us to make decisions about where we invest our resources. And more importantly, it tells government leaders where resources and investments are needed.”
“Trends in the prevalence of food insecurity have remained virtually unchanged, regardless of an over 87% increase in SNAP spending between 2019-2023,” the USDA said in its announcement.
But volunteers aren’t giving up, and entire organizations like Blue Cross N.C. are sending employees to help meet the growing need.
Lori Taylor, health food director at Blue Cross N.C., said it’s important to step away from everyday tasks and give a helping hand.
“This is the way that we can all make an individual contribution together,” Taylor said.
Engel says they’ll continue to show up.
“It’s hard to be hopeful, but this place gives me hope,” she expressed.
In 2023, 47 million people lived in food-insecure households, according to the USDA. Of those, nearly 14 million were children.
The survey has been published annually for 30 years, throughout both Republican and Democratic administrations.
The last report is scheduled to be released on Oct. 22.
Tuesday, September 23, 2025 5:46PM
CONCORD, N.C. (WTVD) — Vice President JD Vance will visit North Carolina on Wednesday.
He will be in Concord to talk about public safety following the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. This comes after the state Senate passed a reform bill called ‘Iryna’s Law,’ which would eliminate cashless bail and lays out new condition for pretrial release for certain violence offenses.
This will be Vance’s first trip to the Tar Heel state since becoming vice president.
Copyright © 2025 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.
North Carolina
City leaders eye improvements to Raleigh’s Dix Park as DHHS moves out of park buildings
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — As the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services prepares to vacate several buildings at Dorothea Dix Park, the City of Raleigh is taking full control of the 308-acre property. City leaders say the future of the park is just beginning
Dix Park welcomed over 600,000 visitors between June and August, with guests from 42 states. It was the second most visited destination in North Carolina this summer, trailing only Wrightsville Beach.
City officials and the Dix Park Conservancy are now focused on the next phase of park improvements.
“During COVID, we learned that our parks became our sanctuaries of sanity,” said Raleigh City Council Member Mitchell Silver. “It’s where people go to feel mentally and physically healthy. We want that for our city.”
One of the park’s most notable additions this year was the opening of Gipson Play Plaza, now the largest adventure playground in the Southeast.
More upgrades are planned, including new public art installations and renovations to existing structures.
Ruffin Hall, president and CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy, outlined some of the upcoming enhancements.
“There’s lots of fun things going on at the park: House of Many Porches where you can go and grab a snack, renovating the Flowers Cottage next to Flowers Field,” Hall said. “We’re also looking at renovating the dog park and the trolls.”
With DHHS preparing to vacate state-owned buildings on the property, some structures will be demolished, while others may be retrofitted for new uses.
“To me, that’s a great opportunity, having a nice enclave of some market rate residential buildings,” Silver said. “Long-term leases or sales could generate money to reinvest in the park.”
Silver has seen this model succeed in other cities, where revenue from residential developments fully funded park improvements without relying on taxpayer dollars.
Plans also include a new entrance on South Saunders Street, and the city is exploring expanded public transportation options to better connect the park with downtown Raleigh.
Many of the park’s improvements have been made possible by a $75 million fundraising campaign led by the Conservancy.
“The City of Raleigh has some tremendous donors, civic-minded folks who made generous contributions,” Hall said. “That partnership with the city is what really made this happen — and that’s what makes Raleigh so special.”
Copyright © 2025 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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