Old Glory stands tall waving on top of an iconic North Carolina overlook as the state park works to inspire “hope and strength” after the powerful remnants of Hurricane Helene decimated the quaint nature lover’s paradise last week.
In a social media post, North Carolina Parks and Recreation shared a poignant photo of an American flag atop the Chimney Rock State Park overlook in Rutherford County. The photo also provides a glimpse into the devastation impacting the area, with visible downed tree branches and debris scattered in a parking lot below.
“During these challenging times, we want to take a moment to thank our incredible NC State Parks staff for their dedication and resilience,” the state agency wrote in the post.
“Despite the unimaginable tragedy the region is facing, our team raised the flag at Chimney Rock on Monday, September 30th, as a symbol of hope and strength for all of Western North Carolina,” the state agency said.
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An American flag is seen atop an overlook at Chimney Rock State Park amid the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in storm-ravaged western North Carolina. (North Carolina Parks and Recreation / Facebook)
The state park is one of many locations in North Carolina that has been seriously impacted by the recent hurricane, with residents experiencing widespread flooding and devastation.
Chimney Rock, located 20 miles north of Asheville, was leveled after the storm pummeled the small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“What was once a town is now a river,” Tracey Stevens, who worked at the Chimney Rock Brewing Co., told the Asheville Citizen-Times. “It’s beyond anything I can imagine.”
According to FOX Weather, the death toll has continued to rise to at least 215 people – with nearly half of those deaths in North Carolina. The hurricane first made landfall on the Gulf Coast in Florida and continued to wreak havoc across the Southeast.
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Search and rescue operations are ongoing in areas of western North Carolina that were isolated after catastrophic flooding destroyed hundreds of roads and bridges after the powerful storm made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
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On Wednesday, President Biden visited North Carolina and received an aerial view of the damage in Chimney Rock and Lake Lure.
Biden vowed to help the state rebuild, saying that the federal government would not leave “until you’re on your feet completely.”
“I don’t have to tell this group that Hurricane Helene has been a storm of historic proportions,” Biden told emergency managers. “The damage is still being assessed, but many people are still unaccounted for.”
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“So, I’m here to say, the United States – the nation – has your back,” he said.
