As the death toll continues to rise across the Southern states, first aid and assistance to those suffering from Hurricane Helene are rolling in across the country.
As of Sunday morning, the North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) activated more than 500 soldiers and airmen and more than 200 vehicles and aircraft, including hoist and emergency aviation assets as well as high-water response vehicles.
The NCNG reported that it completed 16 air missions, resulting in the rescue of 119 citizens and 11 pets.
“Our National Guard air assets have identified people on the ground, and utilized social media and emergency calls to locate, identify, and evacuate citizens in Western North Carolina,” the NCNG wrote in an update on X.
The NCNG said the largest single mission saw the rescue of 41 people north of Asheville in Bumcombe County.
“Our air assets have moved more than 34,000 pounds of cargo, including food, water, and medical supplies to distribute. In the past 48 hours, we have been augmented by personnel and air assets from Connecticut, Maryland, Ohio, Iowa, Florida, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania,” the post continued from NCNG.
The Black Mountain Police Department issued an alert on Sunday evening that the Bee Tree Dam was checked, and it was all clear.
“WE JUST received information from the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office the BEE TREE dam has been checked again, and it is safe. Please keep checking in for updates,” the department wrote in a post on Facebook.
Half an hour prior to the all clear, the department issued an evacuation notice stating that the Bee Tree Dam was close to failure and the area needed to be evacuated immediately.
The Asheville Fire Department also ensured that the dam was safe, and no evacuation was needed.
“The dam at Bee Tree is functioning as it was engineered. Water is coming through the spillway intended. Water resources completed fly over visual inspections today. Water Resources staff continue to work to respond to the emergency,” the department wrote in an update on X.
