Gas shortages, downed power lines, spotty phone service and blocked roads made rescuing residents and assessing damage a nearly impossible task across much of western North Carolina, a day after Hurricane Helene drenched the region with historic amounts of rainfall.

"Record Flood Stage. This stage last occurred in April of 1791 according to Tennessee Valley Authority records. Catastrophic flooding of the Swannanoa River Valley is likely," the National Water Prediction Service posted on the river gauge's website.