Travel in and out of much of Western North Carolina is nearly impossible after heavy rains and flooding battered the state in the path of Hurricane Helene.

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 storm caused massive power outages, prompting search and rescue deployments as many flooded-out residents are left without power or food.

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

The Southeast is grappling with widespread devastation after Helene made landfall Thursday as the strongest hurricane on record to slam into Florida’s Big Bend region and tore through multiple states,