Alison Goldberg is thankful to be back home in Central Florida after experiencing the devastation of Hurricane Helene while in North Carolina.
Goldberg, a freshman at the University of North Carolina Asheville and a graduate of Lake Highland Preparatory School, shared her experience of surviving the hurricane and the massive flooding that followed.
Reflecting on the aftermath, Goldberg described the ongoing destruction.
“I feel like new images keep popping up, and the devastation just continues to increase. It’s honestly a super, super sad situation,” Goldberg said.
Goldberg, also a member of the UNC Asheville volleyball team, captured photos and videos as she evacuated from the flooded areas.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
“We were just completely overflowed,” Goldberg said. “There were buildings underwater, houses just floating away.”
According to officials, nearly 170 people have died due to Hurricane Helene. President Biden stated on Tuesday that approximately 600 people remain unaccounted for.
Rescue crews from various parts of Florida, including the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, have been assisting in the Big Bend region. Photos shared by the sheriff’s office show the extent of the damage, with many areas still without power, including about half of Taylor County’s residents.
Goldberg noted that her school has announced its closure until the end of the month due to the extensive damage. She described the atmosphere on campus when the storm hit.
“It was crazy. People were going nuts. I assume they were scared, frightened, everyone trying to get a hold of mom and dad,” she said. “It’s North Carolina, not a lot of people have experienced this type of natural disaster. Being from Florida, we knew what to do, but this was a little crazy.”
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: