Residents in Asheville, North Carolina are reeling from the devastation left by Hurricane Helene as officials continue search and rescue efforts amid catastrophic flooding, landslides.

The women’s golf coach at UNC Asheville has no idea when he will get back to campus, let alone what will be at campus when he returns. Hurricane Helene ravaged Asheville and other places in the lower Appalachia region,

The dire situation unfolding in North Carolina in the aftermath of Helene reminds us that hurricanes can unleash catastrophic destruction even if landfall occurs hundreds of miles away.