Rescue missions underway in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene brings 'historic' flooding, landslides --North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says 11 fatalities, death toll expected to rise | 29 Sept 2024 | Rescue efforts are underway across western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene brought unprecedented flooding and landslides to the region over the weekend. Deanne Criswell, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator, described the catastrophic flooding as "historic" during an appearance on CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said during a press conference on Sunday that the death toll of 11 was expected to rise as search teams reached areas left isolated from the storm. Cooper asked residents to avoid traveling on roadways in western North Carolina to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.