RUTHERFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Rutherford County Emergency Management shared news Friday morning that all 1,107 persons who were once reported missing after Helene, have been accounted for and are safe.
It's a major milestone in the recovery efforts following catastrophic flooding in western North Carolina.
Rutherford County, home to beloved mountain towns like Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, saw homes and businesses essentially wiped off the map.
The county said while it celebrates the lives saved and those who were found safe, the community is grieving the deaths of three people during the disaster.
Officials said one person died due to flooding in the Lake Lure area, while two others died by fallen trees elsewhere in the county.
The county is asking that if you still have a missing person to report, please call 828-286-2911.
State emergency leaders have not given specifics on how many people are still reported missing in western counties.
As of Thursday, between NCDHHS and local officials, 123 North Carolinians are confirmed dead due to Helene across 20 counties. Buncombe County accounts for the majority of them, with the sheriff's office reporting 72 people dead as of Thursday.