More than 550,000 customers were without power Sunday morning in North Carolina because of Helene's impacts. Among the areas hit hardest in western North Carolina was the city of Morganton.  

Duke Energy informed the city Saturday that its substations were underwater and they "estimate that power will remain off for another 3-5 days."

At least two people have died in conditions related to Helene, hundreds of roads are blocked by floodwater or downed trees, and rivers continue to rise, state officials said Friday. 

A 4-year-old in Catawba County died in a crash on a flooded road and a Charlotte resident was killed when a tree fell on their home, Gov. Roy Cooper said.

Buncombe County officials said Saturday they didn't have an official fatality count to share with the public.

Heavy rains caused flash floods, especially in western North Carolina on Friday. Cooper said over 100 rescues have happened and more are expected in coming days as rivers continue to rise.

The vast majority of power outages were in the western part of the state, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us.

Residents in western North Carolina were urged not to go out, to visit drivenc.gov for updates on roadways and not to drive through floodwaters, the governor said.

Emergency management officials said 290 roads across the state are closed due to flooding, mudslides or other hazards. Officials asked residents to stay at home to let rescuers and utility workers be the only ones driving on the roads.

Multiple shelters have been opened across western North Carolina for those who need to evacuate. 

The Biden administration on Thursday approved a disaster declaration for North Carolina, making federal resources available to recover after the storm.

Residents across the state are asked to stay informed of local forecasts and warnings and to take the following steps to ensure they are prepared.