America’s largest privately-owned estate has abruptly shut down in Asheville after Hurricane Helene caused extensive flooding and building damage along the 8,000 acre property.The iconic Biltmore Estate,

Hurricane Helene's​ massive rains and flooding is a major health and safety risk for residents exposed to potential waterborne illnesses and other dangers.

Hurricane Helene was a historic storm that will be on the minds of those affected for years to come. During the evening of Sept. 26, the storm made landfall along Florida’s Big Bend area as a category 4 with wind speeds of 140 mph.

Douglas Dam was spilling a record amount of water, 450,000 gallons a second. The Nolichucky Dam withstood twice the water flow of Niagara Falls.

The storm pummeled nearby Biltmore Village, a mixed-use neighborhood with homes, shops, and restaurants, leaving more historic buildings destroyed and flooded. In an interview with 7 News WSPA, business owner Thomas Young said, “We’re pretty certain that we were totally under water, and the river went pretty much through our building.”