WATAUGA COUNTY: Widespread damage occurred throughout Watauga, too. Helene, a follower, shared these photos from the Sugar Grove and Cove Creek area of Watauga County. She says several bridges were washed, and folks are working to rebuild temporary bridges so people can easily get out. There is still no running water or power, but progress is being made.
As of 3 PM, 150K customers across Western North Carolina remain without power, and progress is definitely being made. Phone service has increased across most of Western NC, and power and water are slowly being restored. While progress is being made, entire towns are wiped out, and the landscape will be forever changed. In some areas it’ll take months to years to recover fully. Once all the media attention leaves, I plan to do some monthly check-in on damage and progress and share some updates here and there.