A destroyed house with a car under it in Chimney Rock, N.C., on Sunday. (Khadejeh Nikouyeh/The Charlotte Observer. via Reuters)
A week after Hurricane Helene pummeled the Southeast, leaving at least 180 people dead and millions without power, the scope of the devastation continues to emerge.
The storm decimated Chimney Rock, N.C., a historic mountain town 20 miles southeast of Asheville. It’s virtually gone.
Floodwaters leveled buildings and washed away roads and bridges. A massive debris field from Chimney Rock flowed into nearby Lake Lure.
“What was once a town is now a river,” Tracey Stevens, who worked at the Chimney Rock brewery, told the Asheville Citizen-Times. “It’s beyond anything I can imagine.”
President Biden visited North Carolina on Wednesday and got an aerial view of the damage in Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. The president vowed to help the state rebuild.
"The nation has your back," Biden said while meeting with local officials. "We're not leaving until you're back on your feet completely."
Flood damage is seen at Bayou Billy along the Broad River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday in Chimney Rock, N.C. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
A damaged property stands along the Broad River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday in Chimney Rock, N.C. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Destroyed homes are seen in Chimney Rock, N.C., on Wednesday after the passage of Hurricane Helene. (Allison Joyce/AFP via Getty Images)
A damaged store front is seen in downtown Chimney Rock, N.C., on Wednesday after the passage of Hurricane Helene. (Allison Joyce/AFP via Getty Images)
A damaged structure and vehicle are seen in downtown Chimney Rock, N.C., on Wednesday after the passage of Hurricane Helene. (Allison Joyce/AFP via Getty Images)
Business are seen in a debris field in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday in Chimney Rock Village, N.C. (Mike Stewart/AP)
Flood damage is seen inside a store along the Broad River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday in Chimney Rock, N.C. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Flood damage is seen at Bayou Billy along the Broad River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday in Chimney Rock, N.C. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Debris is seen in front of a storefront in downtown Chimney Rock, N.C., on Wednesday after the passage of Hurricane Helene. (Allison Joyce/AFP via Getty Images)
Homes are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday in Chimney Rock, N.C. (Mike Stewart/AP)
A sign reads "Chimney Rock strong" in downtown Chimney Rock, N.C., on Wednesday after the passage of Hurricane Helene. (Allison Joyce/AFP via Getty Images)
Flood damage is seen at Bayou Billy along the Broad River in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday in Chimney Rock, N.C. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
A damaged property stands in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday in Chimney Rock, N.C. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Debris is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Wednesday in Chimney Rock Village, N.C. (Mike Stewart/AP)
Databricks is close to finalizing a $9.5 billion round at a $60 billion valuation, including a secondary sale for employees that could climb even higher before it closes, Reuters reports. Just 17 days ago, Reuters reported that the deal was at $8 billion and a $55 billion valuation. Thrive Capital is leading the deal with returning investors Andreessen Horowitz, Insight Partners, and Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC.
Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the Yankees signing Max Fried, the Red Sox trading for Garrett Crochet, the Rangers making moves to improve their roster, and make their picks for The Good, The Bad & The Uggla.
This week in startup news, we have some contrarian bets, funding rounds from all around the world, new VC funds, and a final word of warning. New wave: A new wave of desalination startups is working on deep-sea reverse osmosis, a technology that’s becoming easier to deploy and could bring savings, with projections that it could produce water using 30% to 50% less energy than onshore reverse osmosis. Its founder, Alexis Conneau, is obsessed with the movie “Her,” but also thinking hard about how not to create a dystopia.
The Trump transition team wants to end a federal rule requiring automakers to report crashes when advanced driver-assistance or autonomous driving technology is engaged, Reuters reports. The crash-reporting rule has allowed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to analyze data on more than 2,700 crashes, leading to 10 investigations into six companies, including Tesla and Cruise, along with nine safety recalls from four different companies, says Reuters. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has long opposed the rule, saying Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system Autopilot, and its upgraded FSD software, have been unfairly targeted.
A break-in at Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Burrow's home has led to questions about his relationship status with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Ponton, who called 911 to report the crime.
