Road closures caused by surging rivers and disrupted communications in the wake of Hurricane Helene on Saturday isolated western North Carolina in what officials are calling a "catastrophic natural disaster.

More than 200 people were reported rescued from flood waters in North Carolina following Helene’s torrential rains with more expected in the coming days. Water levels in the Biltmore Village of Asheville reached the first story of many buildings.

Gas shortages, downed power lines, spotty phone service and blocked roads made rescuing residents and assessing damage a nearly impossible task across much of western North Carolina, a day after Hurricane Helene drenched the region with historic amounts of rainfall.