Press release from the Council of Independent Business Owners:
Storm Recovery Update for Tuesday, October 22, 2024
(Note: The following three reports are for the entire region affected by the storm.
North Carolina Department of Public Safety (from Eddie Buffaloe, Secretary of the Department of Public Safety)
-State emergency operations center is still open.
-All regional 911 call centers are operational. One call center is on alternate routing.
-94% of emergency communications have been restored across WNC.
-25 WNC water systems are on a boil advisory.
-15 water systems need bacteria testing results in order to lift the advisory.
-1 water system remains without power; 4 water systems are on back-up power; 2 water systems are out of water; and 2 water systems are closed.
-224 wastewater treatment facilities are under normal operations – 27 facilities are operating with backup power – 5 facilities have no power – 10 facilities are closed with significant damage; and 1 facility cannot be accessed.
-11 relief shelters are operating in the region with 472 occupants and 62 pets.
-There have been 95 storm related fatalities and 26 are still unaccounted for (throughout the region).
NCDOT (from Secretary of Transportation Joey Hopkins)
-There are over 2000 DOT workers employed in the field including local employees and help from other parts of NC and other States.
-Thanked the National Guard, the US Army, and heavy highway contractors for assistance.
-Initially there were 1200 road closures in WNC.
-There are now less than 500 road closures in WNC.
-7400 damaged roadways in WNC.
-650 bridges and 700 culverts were damaged.
-At least 120 bridges will need to be replaced.
-$5 billion (estimate) to restore transportation infrastructure.
-Travel advisory into WNC has been lifted, but extreme caution is necessary.
-Truckers should be advised that travel is limited in WNC.
-The tag office in Marshall remains closed.
-The driver’s license offices in Burnsville and Spruce Pine remain closed.
-The driver’s license office on Patton Avenue in Asheville is open.
North Carolina National Guard (from Major General Todd Hunt)
-The Guard has been here since the storm hit.
-3100 soldiers are here.
-Over 1200 flight hours have been logged.
-Over 440 air missions have been completed.
-Cleared over 1800 routes and rescued 746 people.
-1200 vehicles are still in the region with 12 helicopters supporting.
-Priorities include…maintain & stabilize the road system; work with NCDOT and the NC Highway Patrol; obstacle clearance; humanitarian aid and assistance; helping with engineering assets to redo culverts and ditches; working with the Army Corp of Engineers in Lake Lure and Chimney Rock; and working to establish communication and access to cutoff areas.
City of Asheville
Clay Chandler, Water Department Public Information Officer
-Water is still not available to all customers but slow progress is being made.
-A mandatory boil water notice is still in effect.
-The chemical treatments targeted at reducing the turbidity have not been successful so far. An additional treatment will be applied in one week.
-The installation of “curtains” to reduce turbidity will take place as soon as the curtains arrive.
-The turbidity seems to be less near the bottom of the lake – possibly due to windy conditions.
-North Fork has three intakes at various levels in the lake.
-Normal turbidity is measured at .03 NTU’s. The lake is currently at 25 NTU’s.
Debra Campbell, City Manager
-Debris collection continues. After some community pushback, the debris collection sites in neighborhoods (Roger Farmer Park and the Municipal Golf Course) have been closed. A new site is at Enka Commerce Park.
-The amount of debris is significant. Estimate 70,000 truckloads to complete.
Spectrum
-Over 12,000 customers remain without service.
Buncombe County (various staff)
-134 still without power.
-Early voting continues. Check out the approximate wait times or view your sample ballot here.
-Two County Parks are reopening – Hominy Valley Park and North Buncombe Fields.
-Estimate 10 million cubic yards of storm debris to be collected in the County (outside the municipalities).
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