A beloved arts district in North Carolina was destroyed by Hurricane Helene, leaving the entire area flooded and “ocean-like.”
The River Arts District, located along the French Broad River in Asheville, was overwhelmed by water Friday afternoon.
When the Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Florida Thursday night, it brought sustained winds of 140 mph.
On Friday afternoon, the storm was downgraded to a tropical depression as it moved over the Carolinas with 30 mph winds.
A beloved arts district in North Carolina was destroyed by Hurricane Helene, leaving the entire area flooded and “ocean-like.”
The River Arts District, located along the French Broad River in Asheville, was flooded with water Friday afternoon.
But despite being demoted, Helene continued to cause devastation and cause massive flooding.
According to the Citizen timesThe French Broad River reached 25 feet on Friday, breaking all previous water level records.
Footage recorded by onlookers captured the devastating consequences of the deluge caused by the overflowing river.
In a video uploaded to X.com, Amber Lake documented the destruction of Asheville’s beloved arts district.
In the video, pale brown water flooded a major street. Trees and streetlights rise deep in the murky water.
A fireplace just outside the stream. In the distance, the water appears to rise to the middle level of a building.
Torrential rain can be seen throughout the video. A strong wind blows in the background.
Despite being demoted, Helene continued to cause devastation and cause massive flooding.
Created from the remains of dilapidated industrial buildings, the arts district was a creative hub representing decades of work.
“He started recording right when the power went out on Riverside Drive,” Lake captioned the video.
And he added: “The gusts of wind also make me lose my balance.”
Another video, posted on X.com by the Citizen Times, further captured the brutal force of Hurricane Helene.
In the clip, the French Broad River appears swollen by rain. Broken branches and other debris sway in the water.
Other images taken in Asheville showed more signs of Helene’s destruction.
“The French Broad River flooded most of the River Arts District,” he captioned the video.
Created from the remains of dilapidated industrial buildings, the arts district was a creative hub representing decades of work.
“But Friday afternoon.” The New York Times He noted that “the River Arts District looked more like an ocean.”
Other images taken in Asheville showed more signs of Helene’s destruction.
In one video, captured by ABC11, torrential floods sweep away an entire home.
In the heartbreaking clip, the house floats in fast-moving water, before finally appearing to crash into a tree.
Hurricane Helene carved a path of destruction across Florida and the southeastern United States on Friday, leaving 40 people dead in its wake.
In the comments section, viewers quickly expressed their surprise.
‘I’ve been through five hurricanes. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” one man wrote.
‘Distressing. “Someone is home with all their memories and dreams,” someone commented.
Other users offered prayers: ‘As someone who lived through Katrina, all I can say is pray for the residents. The property can be replaced. Lives cannot.’
Hurricane Helene carved a path of destruction across Florida and the southeastern United States on Friday, leaving 40 people dead in its wake.
The National Hurricane Center later downgraded the storm to a tropical depression and noted that it was slowing.
Helene is expected to stop over the Tennessee Valley over the weekend.
The National Hurricane Center later downgraded the storm to a tropical depression and noted that it was slowing.
The storm has also reached Illinois, where its remnants are expected to remain through the weekend.
In an official statement, Vice President Harris urged residents affected by the storm to pay attention to local authorities.
“The storm remains dangerous and deadly, lives have been lost and the risk of flooding remains high,” Harris said at the start of a campaign speech in Arizona.
“Therefore, I continue to urge everyone to follow the instructions of their local officials until we pass this moment.”