Historic hurricane hits Lake Lure: Over 130 evacuated, officials say
Town of Lake Lure says they don’t need volunteers at this time, Bills Creek FD does, supplies needed
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The Town of Lake Lure and surrounding areas continue to face the aftermath of a life-threatening storm, with rescue efforts ramping up as more than 130 people have been rescued since the storm began. Emergency management teams at the local, state, and national levels are coordinating to address the disaster, which has left communities stranded and infrastructure severely damaged.
Yesterday, Rutherford County Emergency Management provided an update on the ongoing rescue operations. "At 4:30 pm today, two Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters from the South Carolina National Guard landed at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with much-needed supplies," they said. "The delivery includes water, baby formula, paper products, toilet paper, and MREs (meals ready to eat), along with other essential items. This shipment was coordinated through requests made by the Rutherford County EOC to state and federal agencies to support our community's ongoing recovery efforts."
The response has been extensive, with multiple agencies contributing to search and rescue operations, including the National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, North Carolina and South Carolina Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Teams (NCHART and SC HART), the Army Corps of Engineers, the NC Forestry Service, FEMA, and local fire departments. First responders continue to go door-to-door in the hardest-hit areas, conducting rescues by foot and helicopter where roads remain impassable.
Severe Impact on Infrastructure and Services
Roads in and out of Lake Lure are “tenuous,” with several routes still under repair as crews work to clear debris and restore power. Access to the Lake Lure Town Center remains restricted to official personnel to allow rescue teams to operate safely. Town officials have also mandated that residents avoid Lake Lure due to hazardous conditions, including debris, gasoline, and propane.
The Town of Lake Lure has issued guidance for safe travel in the area, advising locals on available routes, including:
64/74 to Rutherfordton
Bills Creek Road to Cove Road through to Sugar Hill Road leading to I-40
Highway 9, which remains open through McQuinn’s store, with a detour to Big Level Road
No Need for Volunteers, Town Says
While many private organizations and individuals have offered assistance, town officials said that volunteers are currently not needed. However, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said, “As we understand your need to travel to homes and loved ones, we have to strictly limit traffic to open up roads and conduct rescue missions. The bridge on Memorial Highway going into Chimney Rock is currently CLOSED. Only emergency personnel and assigned clean-up crews will be permitted in. The faster those crews can get clean-up done, the faster we can resume normalcy. The conditions of Chimney Rock’s roads and building are unknown/unstable. Understand we ARE NOT turning away volunteers, if you want to help, we must coordinate resources with our Incident Command, to do so you can call (828) 278-8920.”
National, state, and local agencies are managing the situation effectively, according to Lake Lure officials. "We greatly appreciate the offers of help," the town said in a statement, "but we need to ensure safety by keeping traffic and congestion at a minimum while search and rescue missions are ongoing."
However, on the eastern side of the lake, Bills Creek Volunteer Fire Department said on social media that they can use volunteers, as it remains a hub for donations and supplies at its annex and its main building is a center for first responders.
Emergency Services and Resource Centers
In response to the growing needs of the community, the Town of Lake Lure has collaborated with local churches and the Christian Aid Ministry Rapid Response Team to set up a Resource Center at Ingles on Highway 9. This center provides food, showers, WiFi, charging stations, and tools for residents. Lake Lure Baptist Church is also offering showers, restrooms, and meals for residents of Hickory Nut Gorge, with services available daily from 12-5 PM.
Additionally, Rutherford County Senior Activities have been canceled until further notice, as the facility has been transformed into an emergency communications center to support ongoing recovery operations.
Safety and Recovery Efforts Continue
Town officials have issued a boil advisory for all water sources, and a no-flush order remains in place for residents on the town's sewer system. The dam at Lake Lure remains “stable,” but will be closely monitored as repairs are made to damaged abutments and surrounding areas.
As the town works to clear roads, restore services, and support residents, a curfew was initially announced by town officials from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.; however, this curfew has been lifted for the entire county as of Monday morning, though some confusion remains regarding the town's specific status.
Donations are being accepted at the Lake Lure Fire Department for essential items like water, food, baby supplies, and toiletries. Financial donations for storm recovery are also being accepted by the Town of Lake Lure, email communications@townoflakelure.com.
"Our community's resilience and the swift work of our first responders, staff, and volunteers have been critical during this difficult time," the town said in its press release. "We will get through this together."
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement, “Please do NOT drop off supplies at RS Central High School (the site of the shelter), as they are unable to manage deliveries. All supplies should be delivered to one of the four designated distribution sites:
Florence Baptist Church: 201 S Broadway St, Forest City, NC 28043
Rutherford County Health Department: 221 Callahan Koon Rd, Spindale, NC 28160
Thomas Jefferson High School: 2527 US-221A Hwy, Mooresboro, NC 28114
Gilkey Church of God: 255 Oak Springs Rd, Rutherfordton, NC 28139
The locations listed above also giving out supplies to those in need.”
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Thank you so much for the info for Lake Lure and Chimney Rock!