'Worse than you can ever imagine': Chimney Rock, North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene

CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. — At least 90 people have been confirmed dead in connection with Hurricane Helene, including 30 in North Carolina's Buncombe County, officials said. 

About 110 miles northwest of Charlotte, the village of Chimney Rock was among the communities hit hardest by Helene. People there say the devastation is "worse than you can ever imagine." 

George Carter, a North Carolina restaurant owner told NBC News he's been driving up the mountain from his home in Lake Lure to get enough cell service to contact families and neighbors. Carter said he doesn't know anyone personally who died in the storm, but the devastation is shocking. 

"There's mud everywhere," Carter said. "Buildings are gone. Streets are gone. Homes are completely gone or damaged. Maybe 40% of Chimney Rock is still there. The stuff that's still there is filled with mud and smashed up."

At one point Friday, emergency officials in Rutherford County feared the Lake Lure dam was going to fail. State officials said the structure remained intact but did suffer some erosion as water spilled over the sides during Helene's heavy rain.

Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari went to the Lake Lure area to help with cleanup on Sunday. He described it as "post-apocalyptic." 

"It's so overwhelming you don't even know how to fathom what recovery looks like, let alone where to start," he wrote on X. "Going to be a long path to recovery that all levels of stakeholders are going to be needed."

Rescue crews helped save more than 150 people by Saturday night and were still working to reach people in remote places on Sunday. Those efforts are expected to continue. Because there's virtually zero cell service or power, it's unclear exactly how many people are missing. 

Gov. Cooper said Sunday the death toll would assuredly rise as crews reach locations that lost contact due to washed-out roads and bridges. Dozens of people in Avery County told Chief Meteorlogist Brad Panovich they've been unable to reach loved ones since Helene hammered the mountains. 

WCNC Charlotte has partnered with the American Red Cross to help gather donations to go to efforts that will help people impacted by Helene. We've launched a special web page where you can either select a monetary amount or enter your own. You can make donations using a credit card or PayPal account.