ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Tropical Storm Helene’s catastrophic flooding, power outages and water system failures left Western North Carolina reeling — and offered a stark reminder that even inland communities must be ready for the worst.
“There were a lot of things I wished I’d had,” one woman said, remembering the first days after the storm.
When Helene made landfall on the Gulf Coast last September as a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds, many Asheville-area residents expected mainly wind and rain. Instead, the region was hit with record-shattering rainfall — Asheville Regional Airport recorded 19.38 inches, and some nearby gauges measured up to 31.33 inches in just days…