The National Weather Service said Helene had cleared most of the Western North Carolina area by 11:21 a.m. Friday, but significant impacts including serious flooding were expected to continue into the weekend. Numerous areas and cities along the French Broad River are experiencing flooding and the river continues to rise.

Western North Carolina has been essentially cut off because of landslides and flooding that forced the closure of Interstate 40 and other roads. Video shows sections of Asheville underwater.

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.

In Western North Carolina, heavy rains are causing rivers and lakes to overflow, and landslides have blocked major roads. Across the state, two deaths have been linked to the storm.

Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida’s Gulf Coast, making landfall late Thursday as a powerful Category 4 storm, bringing with 140 mph winds, torrential rain and a record storm surge before moving inland across Georgia and the Carolinas. Helene made landfall near Perry, Fla., on Thursday night as a monster Category 4 storm.

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.

Though Hurricane Helene has yet to make landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida, the powerful storm system has already started wreaking havoc in North Carolina.

The death toll from Helene climbed as emergency responders rushed to rescue residents in small mountain towns that have been cut off from communication.