CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. When Hurricane Helene turned rivers and streams into deadly walls of water across western North Carolina one year ago, 100% of Duke Energy personnel were involved in restoring power to 2.7 million customers.A year later, after repairing more than 350 substations damaged by Helene, Duke Energy linemen, many of whom lived and worked in these communities, are recalling the devastation they saw in the wake of the flooding.Linemen supervisor Miles Bell has been through 12 hurricane seasons with Duke Energy. He spent about two months in Chimney Rock, North Carolina, after Helene, not far from where he lives in western North Carolina.HISTORIC BILTMORE VILLAGE SHOWS STRENGTH, RESILIENCE IN RECOVERY 1 YEAR AFTER HURRICANE HELENE"This was by far the worst, just as far as devastation to our equipment, but then this one was so bad cause it was paired with just the devastation of the landscape, people's personal property," Bell told FOX Weather. "Places were just unrecognizable. I mean literally, (I) drove past some of this stuff for 30 years and I don't even remember what it used to look like. It's changed so much."Mountainous regions of western North Carolina saw 20-30 inches of rain between Sept. 25 and 27, 2024. The U.S. Geological Survey documented more than 2,000 landslides, with the majority in this region. Hurricane-force winds downed trees with gusts over 90 mph recorded in Yancey County. Tragically, 86 people were killed by Helene's impacts in North Carolina, most from flooding.Chimney Rock was among the hardest hit communities because of the landscape. Roads were gone. Department of Transportation crews have started from the ground up in some areas."It's just a river gorge, and there were places where we had landslides, and I mean you couldn't hardly even hike," Bell said. "It was just like, rock cliff on either side and kind of impassable. We had to wait a bit for things to become safe enough just to traverse. And then we ended up utilizing helicopters and a lot of different things to get the work done."LINEMEN SPENT WEEKS AWAY FROM HOME RESPONDING TO HELENE, MILTONCrews were able to get nearly everyone restored within two months after Helenes historic flooding.According to Duke, storm repairs from Helene included more than 60,000 locations. Crews ran 1,700 miles of wire enough to cover from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Denver, Colorado.Bell said that a year later, many areas look back to normal, but Chimney Rock, or anywhere near the river banks, are still under intense recovery."The30,000-foot view, you really wouldn't know. Its isolated little pockets," Bell said. "There are still places that are just ravished and, not so much from a power standpoint, because we got everybody that could have power. We got that taken care of."Chimney Rock still looks like a "war zone," Bell said, due to the rock slides and damage from the river flooding. The North Carolina Department of Transportation had to work from the bedrock up.SOUTH CAROLINA MAN CARVES 'STORM BOWLS' OUT OF TREES BROUGHT DOWN BY HELENEOrganizations continue to rebuild the small communities most devastated by Helene."It was through all the heartbreak and the devastation, it really was powerful to see everybody lifting one another up and kind of teaming up, partnering together," Bells said.This hurricane season, which has spared the U.S. a direct hit so far, Bell said he is much more prepared."Being a lineman you kind of always pay attention to the weather," Bell said. "I mean everyday, weather trumps everything. It doesn't matter what your plans are weather trumps it all. So we're all kind of slaves to the weather. I've always paid attention to it, but now I would say my awareness is just a tick higher."

GLOBE, Ariz. At least four people have been killed, and a dangerous hazmat situation unfolded in central Arizona when devastating flash flooding tore through communities like Globe, Miami and Scottsdale over the weekend.Details on those who were killed have not yet been released, but Gila County officials said in a news release that several people remain unaccounted for after the flooding there, in addition to the deaths.HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERIn Scottsdale, police said a man who was reported missing on Friday was found dead after floodwaters there began to recede.According to a report from FOX 10 in Phoenix, the Scottsdale Fire Department responded to reports that a vehicle was "partially submerged in 8 to 9 feet of fast-moving water."Crews shut down the road, and a search began for anyone who may have been inside the vehicle, but no one was found. The decision was made to monitor the vehicle overnight as the water levels were dropping.According to the report, as officials worked to locate the vehicles owner, family members reported 38-year-old Ander Pallares Polanco missing on Friday evening.The next morning, first responders searched the vehicle again, and a body, later identified as Polanco, was found pinned beneath a bridge, submerged in 5 to 6 feet of water.DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APPGila County officials said nearly 1,000 propane tanks were also swept away by the raging floodwaters, creating a hazardous situation, and several roads were closed due to high water.Hazardous materials teams swarmed the area to begin cleaning up and monitoring air quality, officials said."Historic Downtown Globe is currently unsafe, with compromised buildings as well as hazardous chemicals and debris, including propane tanks," Globe city officials posted on Facebook. "For your safety, please stay out of the area until further notice."Officials said in addition to hazmat teams, over 100 additional search and rescue crews were in the area looking for any others who may have been swept away.MONSOON MOISTURE TRIGGERS FLOODING IN PHOENIX AREA"As you are all aware of, tonight our community has experienced an unthinkable, devastating flood event," Globe Mayor Al Gameros posted on social media. "Our primary objective tonight is search and rescue due to numerous vehicles that have been swept into the wash."Governor Katie Hobbs declared a state of emergency for Gila County following the monsoon flooding."Im heartbroken by the devastation in Gila county. My thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones and the residents whose lives have been impacted,"Hobbs said in a statement. "This declaration is a commitment to the people of Gila County that Arizona will deliver every resource available to help. We will continue to work around the clock to ensure communities throughout Gila County that have been impacted by devastating flooding have the support they need to protect life and property."Video shot by Jaleka Jawara during the flooding shows multiple propane tanks floating through the waters raging through town, along with several damaged vehicles and flooded buildings.Globe was slammed by torrential rains from monsoon thunderstorms on Friday evening. A rain gauge at the Globe courthouse recorded 2.09 inches of rain in just 25 minutes.

TAIPEI, Taiwan Newly released satellite imagery shows the impacts from storm surge and flooding produced by Super Typhoon Ragasa as it passed through the Luzon Strait on a trajectory toward China.The images, released by Maxar, a space technology company based in Colorado, showed bridges destroyed, farmland inundated by floodwater and large swaths of southern Taiwan coated in thick debris.Many streets appeared to be covered by silt and mud as both lakes and streams overtopped their banks, raising concerns about the stability of infrastructure."Many of the streets in Guangfu remain covered with mud and silt and similar damage is seen in farms and fields along the outskirts of the city," Maxar stated. "Nearby, the Mataian Creek Bridge has been destroyed and washed away from the flooding."FLORIDA IDENTIFIES NEXT INVASIVE SPECIES THREATAccording to authorities in Taiwan, at least 17 people were killed and many more were missing after the powerful cyclone passed south of the island.Typhoon Ragasa developed east of the Philippines before becoming the world's strongest cyclone of the year with maximum sustained winds of about 165 mph.The Philippines, Taiwan and China reported widespread damage from the cyclone, with a combined death toll already at several dozen and many people still unaccounted for.In countries such as Taiwan, the countrys military was deployed to assist in search and rescue operations, setting up temporary shelters and airlifting supplies into isolated areas.In Hong Kong, schools and airports were closed as the worst of the weather moved from east to west across southern China.Significant flooding was also reported in China, particularly in Guangdong Province, but it was unclear if there were any confirmed reports of missing people or fatalities.Local officials continued to warn of possible landslides in mountainous terrain where the ground was already saturated.WAR TROPHY FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON'S ARMY DISCOVERED AMID BRITISH SHIPWRECKBefore the arrival of the cyclone, the government aided in moving millions out of the expected impact zone, which likely prevented a significant loss of life.Ragasa made its final landfall southwest of Hong Kong on Wednesday with winds on the order of 80-100 mph, but the threat of flooding and landslides was expected to continue well inland.The remnants of the cyclone were also expected to lead to heavy rainfall and flooding in northern Vietnam and Laos.

SALLISAW, Okla. Lightning set a tree ablaze in flames as thunderstorms rolled through eastern Oklahoma on Tuesday, and it was caught on video."Most exciting part of today was this tree being nuked by lightning," the recorder of the video, @MesoHunter, said in the video caption.The video showed embers falling as large flames crept up the tree.LIGHTNING 5 TIMES STRONGER THAN AVERAGE SHREDS WEATHER RADAR IN NEW ZEALANDThe National Weather Service in Tulsa said on Tuesday that severe storms in Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma posed the threat for large hail and damaging winds through the night.It's unclear if the fire spread to the base of the tree or when it was put out.

CARACAS, Venezuela A series of strong earthquakes rattled portions of Venezuela and Colombia in South America on Wednesday and Thursday, sending residents fleeing homes and businesses due to fears that the shaking could cause structures to collapse.At least four earthquakes ranging from magnitude 6.3 to 4.9 were reported in at least two Venezuelan states, Zulia and Trujillo, starting Wednesday night. The most recent earthquake was reported early Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERTens of thousands of people across the region reported feeling the shaking, including in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.So far, there have been no reports of injuries, but damage assessments in some communities are underway.One video shared from Venezuela showed people working at a restaurant talking among themselves and listening to music before the shaking began.At first, there was some confusion as the shaking was on the lighter side. However, the shaking became more intense, and the workers could be seen quickly exiting the building.DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APPAnother video showed a man playing video games and appearing to be confused as light shaking began.You can then hear items begin to rattle inside the apartment, and the man quickly stops playing his game and moves toward the door.He then shows the scene outside, with people shouting about the shaking.

HONG KONG A dramatic video shows the moment that the destructive storm surge from Typhoon Ragasa in Asia busted through the front doors of a Hong Kong restaurant, essentially destroying the facility.The incident occurred on Wednesday as Super Typhoon Ragasa was bearing down on Hong Kong and China after leaving at least 17 people dead in Taiwan.HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERCanadian restaurant owner Anna Cholewka said her "heart sank" when she heard the news that the typhoon had caused significant damage to her restaurant, Bistro La Baia, which she owns with her husband, Mark.Cholewka told Storyful that typhoon shutters had been installed outside the restaurant and had held up during previous storms.DOWNLOAD THE FREE FOX WEATHER APPTyphoon Ragasa made landfall around 5 p.m. local time on the China coast near Guangdong Province with winds of about 165 mph the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane here in the U.S.The typhoon is expected to continue to move inland and weaken as it crosses southern China. The storm is then forecast to move into northern Vietnam and Laos as a tropical depression and then a remnant low.Rain from the typhoon is expected to continue to produce flooding, landslides and mudslides in those areas.

CONEJOS COUNTY, Co. Two elk hunters were found fatally struck by lightning in Colorado more than two weeks after they went missing during severe weather.The Conejos County Sheriffs Office said Andrew Porter, 25, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko, 25, of Salt Lake City, Utah, were reported missing in the San Juan Wilderness Area on Sept. 13 when they failed to check in with loved ones.A massive search was conducted for the two men, including air operations, multiple counties, dog teams, horseback rides, drones and volunteers.NEW JERSEY GOLFER STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WEEKS AFTER ANOTHER NJ GOLFER KILLED BY LIGHTNING STRIKEOn Sept. 17, the sheriff's office said the vehicle that Porter and Stasko drove to the trail head was found, but neither individual was there."Camping gear and backpacks were located in the vehicle, prompting deputies to become concerned due to heavy rain and bad weather," the sheriff's office said in an update. Two weeks later, the search efforts grew to include theNew Mexico State Police and La Plata County Search and Rescue Teams along with volunteers from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Wyoming and numerous other counties across Colorado, and the nation.According to the sheriffs office, their bodies were recovered on Sept. 18 at 11 a.m. near the Rio De Los Pinos Trail Head.Conejos County Coroner Richard Martin told CPR that both men were killed by a lightning strike.Porter's fiancee, Bridget Murphy, wrote on Facebook, the pair died trying to get back to their car on Sept. 12 when the storms rolled in."On this tragic trip, they were caught in a bad circumstance. But they were together," Murphy said. "They loved each other dearly and most importantly, we have them now."A GoFundMe started by Porters aunt, Lynne Runkle, has raised nearly $80,000 for the search efforts. Runkle said those funds will now go toward covering funeral expenses for the friends.LIGHTNING SAFETY: WHEN THUNDER ROARS, EVEN TAKING OUT THE TRASH CAN TURN DEADLYAccording to the National Lightning Safety Council, the young hunters' deaths are the 15th and 16th U.S. lightning fatalities this year and the first in Colorado this year.Colorado ranks third in terms of lightning deaths, with 27 in nearly 20 years. Only Florida, with 92, and Texas, with 42, have had more deaths.The Council said these are only the 4th and 5th lightning deaths related to hunting since 2006. In previous hunting cases, the victims were near or under a tree that was struck by lightning.

HOKITIKA, New Zealand A radar stationed on the west coast of New Zealand was shredded by a powerful lighting strike last week, putting the radar out of commission.The incident occurred Thursday when the area near Hokitika, where the radar is located, was hit by a 156,000-amp bolt of lightning.MetService New Zealand said the bolt was about five times more powerful than a typical bolt for the country, producing enough energy to power an average home for two years.As the lightning struck, it not only produced a blinding flash and deafening thunder, but it also produced a shockwave strong enough to destroy the radome.RARE, UPSIDE-DOWN LIGHTING SPOTTED IN PUERTO RICOThe bolt also heated the surrounding air to be five times hotter than the surface of the Sun, causing the moisture in nearby structures to likely vaporize instantly and lead to explosive damage."Needless to say, this kind of strike can fry electronics and overwhelm even robust grounding systems, and our radar took the full hit," the agency said."The radar has sustained significant damage, and repairs will be complex," they added. "We now expect the radar to remain offline for an extended period."The agency said that they are using other means of monitoring the weather, such as satellite imagery, nearby radar sites, weather stations and high-resolution computer models.HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERLightning strikes occur more frequently in the summer, but strikes that occur in the winter are more powerful, according to New Zealand Geographic.As the country reaches the end of winter, they may continue to see bolts of lightning averaging about 50% more powerful than those in the summer.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. It's been about a year since Hurricane Helene left communities across western North Carolina reeling from damage and loss after heavy rainfall created mudslides and flooding that washed through the Blue Ridge Mountains.When Hurricane Helene made landfall in the U.S. on Sept. 26, 2024, no one expected the devastation the storm would bring to western North Carolina.Over the last year, Asheville and the Historic Biltmore Village have worked tirelessly to rebuild their communities, even better than they were before the storm.ASHEVILLE RESIDENT LOOKS BACK ON HURRICANE HELENE ONE YEAR LATER"This community is really determined and motivated to continue to preserve the historic nature of our area as well as continue its vibrance as a destination for people visiting Asheville, for people who live here," said Kara Irani, the director of public relations for the Historic Biltmore Village Association.As Asheville and Biltmore Village continue their recovery, Irani wants people to know they are open for business."There is a lot of really strong momentum in many ways for what is happening for us post-Helene," Irani said.Irani said the level of devastation experienced in the mountains of western North Carolina stays with you for life."You never forget what it feels like to go out and see buildings completely underwater," she said. "You never forget what it looks like to see tankers floating down a river."But devastation isn't the feeling they focus on when it comes to the storm.Residents are calling this a milestone the one-year milestone of everything they have overcome and rebuilt and what they will continue to do in the wake of the hurricane.She said the storm brought them all together. Neighbors helping neighbors, everyone sharing resources in the initial aftermath."It took time to get our power back on," Irani said. "We had generators we were sharing, we had water that we were sharing."SOUTH CAROLINA MAN CARVES 'STORM BOWLS' OUT OF TREES BROUGHT DOWN BY HELENEThe marking a year after Helene's landfall symbolizes so many things within the communities there."It's going to be a measure of strength," Irani said. "We don't celebrate the anniversary of the storm, but we definitely celebrate what the community has done together and how far we have come in such a short time."All the healing and grief shared among each other in the last year, has led them to be able to celebrate the good, too.Irani said in Biltmore Village, it's a season of success. "It has actually been a season of celebration for us every time a new business opens," Irani said. "All of us get together and go to welcome that business back."She said the reopening parties and celebrations have helped heal them."It shows that we are able to face a challenge that is absolutely staggering and unprecedented, and then still move forward," Irani said.Downtown Asheville is back in full operation, while the River Arts District and Historic Biltmore Village are partially open as business owners continue to rebuild from the storm damage.Irani said roughly 20% of the village is back open. With the Grand Bohemian Lodge being the first place to reopen after the storm in May."All of these industries are really starting to show their resilience and coming back," Irani said.The Biltmore Estate is also open for visitors, being one of the largest draws for tourism in the area.Irani said parts of the Biltmore Village saw more than 15 feet of water during the height of the storm. Because the village has a mix of historic buildings and some more modern buildings, seeing how they've weathered the storm has made their recovery story unique."The impact of the storm really brought our community together in ways we had not been connected before," Irani said. "Now, we all have critical crisis management support, we're all working together on city initiatives to get certain infrastructures supported, replaced, updated."FILE: ASHEVILLE PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURES HURRICANE HELENE'S IMPACTS, DESCRIBES BEING CUT OFF FROM OUTSIDE WORLDIrani estimated that 70% of the businesses that were open in Biltmore Village prior to Helene would be reopening in the village once again.As for the remaining 30%, Irani said there's already high demand to fill the spaces."I think that it is going to be probably within the next six months that we see Biltmore Village almost back to full operational status," Irani said. One of the biggest factors in helping western North Carolina return to economic normalcy is tourism.With peak leaf-peeping season right around the corner, Asheville and surrounding areas need people to come visit.Asheville has one of the longest leaf seasons in the U.S., according to Explore Asheville."I have grown up here, and been here almost my entire life," Irani said. "And every year I am blown away by how absolutely gorgeous it is."Peak season typically happens in mid to late October.HERES WHERE FALL FOLIAGE WILL PEAK FIRST IN 2025Hurricane Helene's impacts closed major stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway, ruining many people's chances of visiting the area for leaf-peeping season last year.Many sections of the Parkway are back open in key places throughout western North Carolina, offering the chance for more tourism just in time for leaf season.In Historic Biltmore Village, leaf season has some deep roots."What makes leaf season so special for us, is that the Village is a collection of experiences," Irani said.Irani said the village's historic markers and brick sidewalks along with many restaurants, shops and other experiences make leaf season more fun."We expect that at least 50% of the village will be open in time for leaf season," Irani said.Irani said new businesses are opening in the Village in the wake of Helene, bringing even more new experiences to the area.The biggest ways to help Asheville, the Historic Biltmore Village and the other communities throughout western North Carolina who were impacted by Helene last year, is to visit.Irani said staying in local hotels, eating at local restaurants and participating in local experiences are crucial."Finding art, and experiencing music and culture," Irani said, offering suggestions for visitors. "We're so lucky to have all of these things still here, and in such a small town, comparatively."Irani said so many new local businesses are coming to the area, taking up vacancies left behind by businesses that chose not to reopen or relocated after Helene.Supporting those local businesses by shopping, whether in person or online, can massively help the local economy."Every single dollar that comes into our area right now is something that is helping locals continue to move forward and rebuild their own lives," Irani said. "It is continuing to help small business owners recover from a magnitude of losses."Irani said after the storm, they had relief workers and volunteers and hundreds of organizations helping to remove the mud and debris and reconnect the utilities."We are now in a place where relief workers are all of us," Irani said. "Our economic recovery is so key to maintaining and supporting what makes our area so special."HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERAnother way you can help is to tell people that Asheville is back open. Irani said a very common misconception they hear all the time is that Asheville was wiped off the map, gone forever."If you come to Asheville, you're still going to have a very, very full experience here," she said.For more ideas on ways to support the community, visit the Historic Biltmore Village website here or the Explore Asheville website here.

SAN FRANCISCO Shaking has been felt across the San Francisco Bay Area in California after an earthquake was reported early Monday morning.According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the magnitude 4.3 earthquake was reported in the Berkeley area just before 3 a.m. local time.HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHERThe USGS had initially reported that the earthquake was a magnitude 4.6, but that was revised a short time later to a magnitude 4.4 and then a magnitude 4.3.The earthquake was reported at a depth of about 4.8 miles.According to the National Tsunami Warning Center, a tsunami is not expected because of this earthquake.Its unknown if damage or injuries have been reported.Refresh this page and download the free FOX Weather app for updates on this story.