NBC News

In western North Carolina, where more than 40 people have died, some residents say the government was unprepared for the storm.

Long lines for gas. Shelters at capacity. More than 300 road closings. A severely damaged water system that could take weeks to repair.

Hundreds of miles from where it made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend, Hurricane Helene caused unprecedented damage in western North Carolina, where at least 49 people have died and dozens of others are missing.

“The devastation was beyond belief,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said at a news conference Monday afternoon. “And even when you prepare for something like this, this is something that’s never happened before in western North Carolina.”