Chimney Rock mayor says town devastated by Helene will rebuild but 'going to take a long time'

CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. – Located southeast of Asheville, Chimney Rock saw incredible devastation after Hurricane Helene dropped between 1 and 2 feet of rain in the area.

The resulting flood destroyed homes and businesses, particularly by the Broad River, which runs through the town. The water ended up nearly doubling the width of the river, causing many to wonder about the future of Chimney Rock.

Chimney Rock Mayor Peter O’Leary spoke with FOX Weather Meteorologist Jane Minar on Wednesday about how, despite this devastation, his town is working to rebuild.

He noted recovery efforts thus far, such as rebuilding the road that goes through the town, have allowed homeowners and business owners to return and begin the work of cleaning up after Helene.

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Various groups, from the U.S. Army to the Department of Transportation to volunteers, have come to help. According to O’Leary, their assistance has made a drastic difference to shop owners looking to rebuild.

"They've gotten so much work done in such a short period of time with all these volunteers," he said. "It's very uplifting."

Although progress is being made, O’Leary said the timing of when the town will be back on its feet is in question.

"For the business owners who are all just mom-and-pop operations, there's still so many unknowns," O’Leary said. "They don't know if they can open in six months or a year. It's just, it's hard on them and hard to figure out how they're going to move forward from this."

This will make a significant impact on tourism, specifically, as it is a major revenue generator for the town.

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Despite this uncertainty, he remains optimistic about what the future holds for his community.

"It's going to take a long time. But again, we're hopeful," he said. "We do what we can every day, step by step."