See photos as residents living in Asheville, N.C., and the surrounding areas continue to re-build following flooding brought by Tropical Storm Helene.

Three weeks after Helene unleashed a sea of horrors on WNC, the state appears to be nearing the end of its count of the lives taken in the storm.

The polls will open on Thursday in North Carolina - a critical battleground in the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election - just weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the state's west, where some areas still lack power,

Western North Carolina roads are slowly reopening following the devastation from Tropical Storm Helene, but several major thoroughfares remain closed, including Interstate 40. Here's the latest

For a town that thrives on outdoorsy tourism, Helene came at the peak of the busy season, which sustains many businesses in Asheville and in the surrounding communities, as visitors flock to the Great Smoky Mountains, Grandfather Mountain, Pisgah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Ninety-two people are still missing in hard-hit North Carolina following the "catastrophic disaster" caused by Hurricane Helene, according to Gov. Roy Cooper.

More than 400 locations in all 100 counties were expected to open on Thursday for the 17-day early vote period.

At least 95 storm-related deaths have been recorded in the state, a total that's still “expected to rise over the coming days," the governor's office said

Before Hurricane Helene, had you stopped by one of the many breweries, art galleries, or award-winning restaurants in Asheville, North Carolina, and spoken with anyone who lives in these parts — including me — most would have told you they felt pretty safe from climate disasters.