Hurricane Helene and Power-Trac

[ponytug]

There is flooding in downtown Tazewell apparently, with road closures in and around the town.

Any one know if the factory flooded? The main workshop is on fairly flat land close to the creek.

Just wanted to wish all of you dealing with severe weather the best of luck.

All the best,

Peter

 

[2manyrocks]

Asheville NC roads are closed due to flooding. I40 washed out 3 miles inside Tennessee close to the NC border. I26 washed out at Irwin, TN.

 

[ultrarunner]

The images of devastation overwhelming for the region and beyond.

Already medical supplies are being impacted.

Baxter plant in North Cove NC permeated with water.

 

[ponytug]

The images of devastation overwhelming for the region and beyond.

Already medical supplies are being impacted.

Baxter plant in North Cove NC permeated with water.

Yes, there was a great deal of infrastructure, hospitals, water treatment plants, and roads in the "flats". I'm not being critical; building on flat ground is much easier than a hillside, but flood plains are flood plains.

Access in Appalachia has never been exactly easy, and now without many roads and bridges, many areas are back to foot travel.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/30/us/helene-north-carolina-asheville-communites/index.html

I experienced unbelievably heavy storm in similar terrain, steep valleys and mountains, during a weekend of rain that resulted in what a geologist described as a 1,000 year flood, but that was in a small area, not the hundreds of miles of hurricane Helene. I think that the damage from the force of rapidly moving water is hard to comprehend. Recovery is going to take a long time.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ponytug]

An article on why rainfall events are particularly hard in mountains that points out for Ashville, NC, 19.4" of rain over 60 days would have been a 1 in a thousand year event. Several stations in and around Ashville record more than 20".

Why Appalachia Flooded So Severely from Helene’s Remnants

Inland flooding from tropical cyclones, even at high altitudes, is a major worry—and one that scientists don’t know enough about

www.scientificamerican.com

No real updates from Tazewell.

All the best,

Peter

 

[MossRoad]

About 20 years ago we took the kids to the Biltmore Mansion and passed through the Smokies during torrential rains. It was not for the faint of heart. Those picturesque little mountain streams became raging torrents right next to the roads. The little waterfalls on the hillsides next to the roads were pouring down ONTO the roads. Tree branches getting stuck to the guardrails as they washed across the roads. And, of course... they closed the roads AFTER we got through.

I see on the news today that the Biltmore Estate is closed while they assess damage.

 

[MossRoad]

One person dead in Tazewell County after Hurricane Helene

The National Weather Service confirmed the death.

www.wdbj7.com

 

[ernemats]

Tried calling Terry today and it went to voicemail then tried calling Carol the service dept. secretary and it also went to voicemail. According to the internet several counties in Va. were hit real hard including Tazewell county

 

[ponytug]

I had the same experience today, too. On the bright side, voicemail suggests that they have power at the factory. I worry about the employees and the factory which is pretty close t the river as I recall.

All the best,

Peter

 

[MossRoad]

I'd make a joke about it being deer season, but that's not the case here. Hope they are OK.