Evacuations ordered in the Asheville area

Helene brought heavy rain and strong winds to North Carolina overnight and into Friday morning after making landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane.

The storm left thousands across the state without power. Follow us here for live updates.

Emergency shelters have been set up in some of North Carolina’s hardest-hit areas for residents who cannot evacuate. Shelters are located at the WNC Agriculture Center at the WNC Agricultural Center: 1301 Fanning Bridge Road, Fletcher and at Harrah’s Cherokee Center, 87 Haywood St., Asheville.

There are also Code Purple shelters available through ABCCM for unoccupied residents, and transportation via ART to Code Purple shelters is free.

Residents should bring essential items such as medications, important documents and personal items, according to a news release.