Photos show catastrophic damage from Helene in western N.C. and Georgia

After hitting Florida's Gulf Coast as a Category 4 hurricane late last week, Helene tore through the Southeast, leaving dozens of people dead and millions without power, unleashing historic rain and flooding in parts of Georgia and the Carolinas.

Western North Carolina was particularly hard hit as Helene inundated rivers, washed away roads and cut off communications and cell service, complicating rescue efforts. In Buncombe County, N.C., alone, there have been at least 30 storm- related deaths and hundreds of people reported missing. Floodwaters from the Swannanoa River overwhelmed Asheville, N.C., which saw catastrophic damage. The river crested at Asheville's Biltmore Estate at 26.1 feet, nearly 6 feet above the record.

In Valdosta, Ga., 100-year-old trees fell on top of houses, and several downtown buildings were destroyed. "It looks like hell," one longtime resident told NBC News.

Photos from across the region show the aftermath of the storm.

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