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The historic Biltmore Estate, an Asheville icon, works to recover from Helene damage
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The Biltmore Estate, the extravagant former home of the Vanderbilts and one of North Carolina's biggest attractions, was among the structures slammed by the remnants of Hurricane Helene last week.
Buncombe County, where the 8,000-acre estate is located, is considered among the hardest hit by Helene. As of Thursday, at least 72 people had died in the county and 200 people remained missing after the storm, member station BPR reported. As of Saturday morning, over 74,000 customers there were without electricity, according to local officials.
The Biltmore has been a fixture in Asheville, N.C., since 1895. It attracts an estimated 1.7 million visitors each year, according to its website.
In a social media post, the Biltmore Estate said low-lying areas, including its entrance and farm, experienced significant flooding. Parts of its forested areas, which make up a large portion of the property, also suffered wind damage. It said a few of the estate's animals were lost during the storm but that a "vast majority" were safe and accounted for.
The estate did not say which animals were lost, but its farm is home to hens, lambs, calves, goats and draft horses.
"We are heartbroken for our friends, family, and neighbors across this region who have been devastated by this storm," the estate said. "To our first responders, utility workers, and community volunteers, we are eternally grateful for your endless care and courage. We will all work together to recover from this unprecedented disaster."
Biltmore House, as well as the estate's conservatory, winery, gardens and hotels received minimal or no damage from the storm. But Biltmore Estate said that as of Thursday, it was still assessing the area and crews were still in the process of clearing roads so they can begin repairs.
The Biltmore said it will remain closed until further notice, adding that initial assessments indicate it will be closed to guests at least until Oct. 15.
Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 storm. It led a path of devastation across Southeast U.S. and southern Appalachia. Over a week has passed, but the number of residents killed and missing continues to rise, while large portions of the region struggle go restore their electricity.
Meanwhile, new consequences and damage by the storm continue to emerge. Spruce Pine, a town in the Appalachian mountains, is also home to an abundance of pure quartz, which is essential for microchips and solar panels. Helene dumped 24.12 inches of rain on Spruce Pine. Although it remains unclear how the mines that produce the quartz are holding up, there are already concerns about getting quartz out of the region and whether it will affect semiconductor supply chains.
The Baxter International factory in Marion, N.C., about 35 miles outside of Asheville, is a major supplier of intravenous fluids used in hospitals around the country. The facility is now shut down and covered in mud. As of Thursday, the company said it doe not “have a timeline for when operations will be back up and running.”
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