Green River community trapped by mudslides as helicopters bring supplies

GREEN RIVER, N.C. — Right now there are only two ways in and out of the Green River area, just north of Saluda -- hike across treacherous terrain, or have a helicopter give you a lift.

People who live there are stuck after watching everything they own wash downstream.

Channel 9′s Evan Donovan tried to get down to the Green River Cove community on Tuesday but got stopped by the mudslides and a huge boulder along one switchback. So we went back on Wednesday with our only way in: Chopper 9.

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We landed in what used to be a grass field about 60 yards from Green River, and we were quickly greeted by a river rafting guide known as ‘Fast’ Fred.

“My house was on the other side of this ... that’s one corner of the house, the other foundation is somewhere here buried,” Fast Fred Ruddock told Donovan.

Donovan says he watched as his house came off the foundation.

“Yeah, I watched my two cargo containers float off with most all of my stuff I cared about, and my house lift up and shift,” he said. “And just like that, I lost everything; my house is moving.”

Fast Fred said he estimated the river was moving at least 70,000 cubic feet per second.

“I would say before, a normal flow would be 250 CFS, so it’s enormously more than normal flow,” Fast Fred said.

The whole field that Donovan and Fast Fred stood in was all underwater after Tropical Storm Helene unleashed nearly a foot of rain.

“And I saw pieces of houses, cars, and different vehicles floating through here; even a piece of house that was big enough I could identify who the owner was,” Fast Fred said.

From Chopper 9 Skyzoom, we could see plenty of other homes in the area had disappeared, with only the foundation left behind. It’s early in recovery, but it’s possible people here got lucky.

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“Apparently, it seems to be miraculous that no one died in this cove,” Fast Fred said. “I think there’s enough hillbillies scattered about that we helped the other folks know what to do.”

He says he’s hoping he got lucky too.

“Maybe I’ll be able to salvage a few things from within my home,” he said.

Chopper 9 Skyzoom Pilot Andy Holt says he’s seen civilian aircraft taking supplies in and out over the past few days as part of Operation Air Drop.

You can help out by clicking this link.

(VIDEO: It could be weeks before some in Asheville area get running water again)