Photo: Paul E. Barker

Oct. 8. As of 6 pm yesterday 77 storm-related deaths have been confirmed in North Carolina by the Office of Chief Medical Examine, but the number will continue to rise over the coming days. To report that you have been unable to reach a person in Western North Carolina, call 211.

The Major Disaster Declaration now includes Mecklenburg County as well as Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell,  Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties.

Residents can apply for Individual Assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 from 7am to 11pm daily or by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov, or by downloading the FEMA app. 

Power outages continue

Across Western North Carolina, approximately 139,000 customers remained without power, down from a peak of more than 1 million. Overall power outage numbers will fluctuate up and down as power crews temporarily take circuits or substations offline to make repairs and restore additional customers.

Road Closures

Travel remains challenging, with approximately 650 roads closed. More than 100 of those roads are primary routes connecting the region.

NCDOT is asking people to avoid unnecessary travel to or in Western North Carolina. NCDOT has posted at ncdot.gov an interstate detour map for places to avoid.

NCDOT currently has more than 2,050 employees and 1,100 pieces of equipment working on more than 4,100 damaged road sites.