‘We were not prepared’: three weeks in a small town devastated by Hurricane Helene

The road to the church in Gerton was damaged by flooding due to Hurricane Helene. Photograph: Emma Churchman/Guardian Community

The small mountain community of Gerton, about 16 miles south-east of Asheville, North Carolina, was one of the areas badly hit by Hurricane Helene.

Three weeks on from the storm, the Gerton resident Emma Churchman describes its devastating impact and how locals and volunteers have come together to help the community on its way to recovery.