Helene brings devastating flooding to Garren Creek, Black Mountain: Communities band together to recover

Tropical Storm Helene has left a trail of devastation in the Black Mountain area, with severe flooding that has impacted entire communities.

In Asheville, residents are now facing long journeys, traveling for hours by ATV and on foot just to reach the Garren Creek community.

The destruction, as described by the local fire chief, is beyond words.

Wade Wright, the longtime Garren Creek Fire Chief, has seen his community nearly wiped out. Despite the personal toll—having lost multiple family members—he remains focused on his responsibilities as chief.

“I know it will hit eventually,” Wright said. “But we still have our moments but I try not to think about it right now because we have other things to take care of.”

The catastrophic flooding and mudslides ripped through without much notice on Friday.

“I realized we were stuck at the house,” Bud Marlowe, local resident said. “In trying to save things and everything, the water rose so fast and got so strong that I just had to grab a post a hold on. When it got this close to the ceiling, I got worried I was going to run out of air.”

Stories of survival like Marlowe’s are abundant.

One remarkable tale involves two women and their dog, who were inside a home that floated for miles down the mountain before it finally came to rest. The fact that they survived has been described as nothing short of miraculous.

“We’ve had floods but nothing like this,” Wright said.

Despite the tragedy, the community’s resilience shines through. A shelter has been set up at a nearby church where volunteers, including Krys Earls, are working to help the displaced.

“We’re trying to get a little more organized,” Earls said. “We’re not FEMA, but we’re doing what we can.”

At the shelter, residents can find fresh food, water, and, thanks to one man’s Starlink setup, a way to connect with loved ones.

“That’s the reality is that not everyone made it,” Earls said.

The search for those missing only growing more desperate with each day. At least five urban search and rescue teams with dogs are in this community alone.

A community essentially wiped off the side of the mountain.

Chief Wright says they’ve recovered four bodies so far and they know of at least six more people who are missing.

WRAL News has a list of people who have reported being safe from the storm. To mark yourself safe, please reach out to us via this form and use the subject line “NC Safe List.”

By calling 211 or visiting nc211.org, families and individuals can obtain free and confidential information on health and human services and resources in their community. People trying to connect with family members can call NC 211 or 1-888-892-1162 if calling from out-of-state. People can also call those numbers to report missing loved ones.