BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — The latest updates on Helene damage and aftermath in western North Carolina, on Wednesday:
- President Joe Biden will join Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday afternoon to fly over western North Carolina and survey the damage.
- At least 77 people have died from the storm in North Carolina, officials confirmed to CBS News. This report is as of Tuesday evening. Most of those deaths (57) have been reported out of Buncombe County, where Asheville is seated.
- CBS News reports officials have confirmed 161 deaths across the southeastern U.S.
- Around 250,000 Duke Energy customers in western North Carolina still have no power as of Wednesday morning. Buncombe County makes up 95,000 of those outages.
- NCDOT officials are urging folks to stay off the roads in western North Carolina, so emergency crews can do their jobs. As of Wednesday morning, DriveNC.gov reports I-40 has closures in the following areas:
- McDowell County, I-40, lane closed, in Old Fort/Mile Marker 73 to 66 heading West
- McDowell County, I-40, lane closed, east of Old Fort/Mile Marker 75 heading East
- Haywood County, I-40, road closed, TN state line and Canton/Mile Marker 0 to 20 in both directions
- Catawba County, I-40, rest area closed, in Claremont/Mile Marker 136 in both directions
- This is a list of ways you can help residents of western North Carolina.