McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (2024)

McDowell County’s water is limited after Tropical Storm Helene impacted the area, according to emergency management officials. Marion’s water supply is expected to be depleted by noon Sunday, and Old Fort has limited to not water as of Saturday evening.

Marion’s water intakes are without power or are not producing water, according to a news release from McDowell County Emergency Management. The city is working with Duke Energy to restore power to the Buck Creek water intake, but it may take time, the 3:40 p.m. release said.

Without power, the water supply in Marion is expected to run out by noon Sunday, the release said.

“It is urgent that all city of Marion and McDowell County water customers conserve water to the greatest possible degree in order to extend the city and county water supplies,” the release said.

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Non-essential water use was prohibited.

Old Fort’s water system was impacted by flooding as well, leaving the city with little to no water, a 5 p.m. emergency management update said.

The county is still working to rescue people who are trapped and missing, emergency management said.

Calls for help

McDowell County 911 is receiving hundreds of calls for help every hour, emergency management said. The calls involve patients who are trapped with severe trauma and running out of oxygen or essential medical supplies, the county said.

In some areas, responders could not reach those in help because of landslides, downed trees, power lines and flooded roads, the Saturday release said.

More than 20 air rescues were conducted Saturday to extract people from isolates areas, emergency management said.

The county is prioritizing finding people who are missing or stranded, the county said.

The biggest challenges in emergency response have been road blockages, fuel supply shortages for emergency vehicles, difficulty communicating with little to no cell and radio service and delivery of food and water, the county said.

Responders are working to deliver supplies like food and water throughout McDowell County, emergency management said. The supplies are being distributed to drop points by the U.S. National Guard, the county said.

Power out across county

The storm left nearly 90% of McDowell County residents without power Saturday, and many residents were unable to leave their homes due to high floodwaters from Tropical Storm Helene.

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (2)

McDowell County 911 received over 760 calls for service during this storm, according to a release from McDowell County Emergency Management issued Friday evening.

“Multiple areas in McDowell are still inaccessible to emergency personnel,” emergency management said. “Mutual aid agencies from all across North Carolina are assisting McDowell County respond to this disaster. A mass casualty bus, multiple out-of-county ambulances, National Guard personnel, Urban Search and Rescue Teams, swift water rescue teams and state law enforcement are supporting local fire, rescue, EMS, and law enforcement. Heavy construction equipment is also being used to access several critical incidents.”

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (3)

Officials added, “Emergency personnel will not stop until every person is rescued. Please help us by staying off the roads unless you have an emergency.”

Cellphone towers and other infrastructure continue to have outages.

I-40 mudslide

The North Carolina Department of Transportation reported a mudslide on Interstate 40 near Old Fort.

The interstate is closed from exit 66 to exit 77, according to DriveNC.gov.

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (4)

NCDOT reported eight road closures in McDowell County as of 1 p.m. Saturday.

Two emergency shelters open

Glenwood Baptist Church, 155 Glenwood Baptist Church Road, Marion, NC 28752

McDowell County Senior Center, 100 Spaulding Road, Marion, NC 28752

The National Weather Service said portions of western McDowell County received around 9 inches of rain from Tropical Storm Helene.

Tropical Storm Helene devastates McDowell County with flood waters, high winds

Riverbreeze Campground is flooded in Marion

Marion flooding

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (5)

Marion flooding

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (6)

Marion flooding

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (7)

The aftermath of Helene on U.S. 221 Business in Marion

Marion flooding

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (8)

Marion flooding

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (9)

Old Fort mudslide

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (10)

The winds from Helene Friday morning in Marion

Marion flooding

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (11)

Marion flooding

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (12)

Marion flooding

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (13)

Marion flooding

McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (14)

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McDowell County facing water shortage; 20 air rescues conducted Saturday (2024)

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