"Record Flood Stage. This stage last occurred in April of 1791 according to Tennessee Valley Authority records. Catastrophic flooding of the Swannanoa River Valley is likely," the National Water Prediction Service posted on the river gauge's website.

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 storm triggered the worst flooding in North Carolina in over a century, submerging roads, causing landslides, and stranding communities.