BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. — The latest updates on Helene damage and aftermath in western North Carolina, on Wednesday:
- North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper will be at the Mast General Store in Boone on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. to survey damage and relief operations, thank volunteers and hold a media availability.
- CBS reports officials have confirmed at least 180 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.