The only road to Pensacola, in the remote mountains of western North Carolina, is now a muddy path through deep, twisting gorges. But the mountains of western North Carolina normally escape the worst of passing hurricanes,

They just lined up like two big Caterpillar dozers, and we watched them just take this whole farm out," Nix said, the sun beating down hard as if determined to dry up the remaining puddles. Nearby, a John Deere backhoe was just another chunk of junk,

Election officials in the battleground state of North Carolina approved changes on Monday that aim to make it easier for voters in areas devastated by Hurricane Helene to cast ballots in the Nov. 5 U.