Asheville, North Carolina, was devastated after Helene’s damage knocked out power and flooded streets

Floods pushed the remains of Hurricane Helene North Carolina’s largest mountain town was largely cut off Saturday due to damaged roads and a lack of power and cell service, part of a swath of destruction across the southern Appalachian Mountains that left an unknown number dead and countless worried relatives unable to care for their loved ones to reach.

In North Carolina alone, more than 400 roads remained closed on Saturday as floodwaters receded, revealing the extent of the damage. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said relief supplies were being flown to that part of the state.

CBS News has confirmed, among other things, that Helene killed at least ten people in North Carolina a total death toll of at least 63 People in multiple states.

Among the people rescued from rising waters was nurse Janetta Barfield, whose car was flooded Friday morning as she left her night shift at Mission Hospital in Asheville. She said she watched a car drive through standing water in front of her and thought it was safe to continue driving. But her car stopped and within minutes her front seat was filled up to her chest with water. A nearby police officer, who saw her car stall, helped her get to safety.

“It was unbelievable how fast this stream went in just five minutes,” Barfield said.

Early Saturday morning, many gas stations were closed because they had no power, and the few that were open had hours-long lines wrapped around the block. The tourism and arts hub, home to about 94,000 people, was unusually quiet after floodwaters inundated neighborhoods known for attracting visitors, including Biltmore Village and the River Arts District, home to numerous galleries, Shops and breweries are located.

More than 700,000 electric customers were without power across North Carolina, including 160,000 in Buncombe County. Interstate 40 and I-26 were impassable in several places, and a state Transportation Department map showed most routes into Asheville and across much of the mountains were closed. The North Carolina Department of Transportation posted on social media Saturday afternoon that “all roads in Western North Carolina should be considered closed.”

There was no cell service in Asheville and no recovery timeline.

“We have had some fatalities,” Van Taylor Jones, county emergency services director, told reporters. However, he said they were not ready to report details. Due to the communication breakdown, officers were unable to contact next of kin. Asheville Police Department a curfew imposed from 7:30 p.m. Friday to 7:30 a.m. Saturday.

“The curfew is for the safety of the public and is in effect until further notice,” police said.

Transit service in Asheville was also suspended, police said. The city advised residents to boil “all water used for human consumption” because there was at least one significant water main break during the storm. Many residents may not receive water or water at reduced or no pressure.

Jones said there has been a cascade of emergencies in the area, including heavy rain, strong winds and mudslides. Officials said they tried to prepare for the storm, but its magnitude was greater than they could have imagined.

“It’s not that we weren’t prepared, but this goes to another level,” said Sheriff Quentin Miller. “To say this surprised us would be an understatement.”

Atlanta resident Francine Cavanaugh said she has been unable to reach her sister, son or friends in the Asheville area.

“My sister checked in with me yesterday morning to find out how I was doing in Atlanta,” she said Saturday. “The storm just hit her in Asheville and she said it sounded really scary outside.”

Cavanaugh said her sister had no idea how bad the storm would be there. She told Cavanaugh that she was heading out to check on guests at a vacation cabin, “and that’s the last I heard from her.” I’ve texted everyone I know with no response. All calls go straight to voicemail.”