CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Devastating flooding from Hurricane Helene has claimed the lives of two law enforcement officers in western North Carolina.
The NC Sheriffs' Association said deputies from Macon and Madison counties were killed in floodwaters.
Macon County officials said Jim Lau, a courthouse security officer and deputy with the department, was in a truck before it went underwater on Friday around 11:30 a.m. Lau's body was found on Saturday in a river near Fulton Road in Macon County.
"Jim was very liked and respected within our department," Madison County officials said. "He was known to be a hard worker, dependable, and he jumped in wherever help was needed. His absence will truly be felt in our agency."
The Madison County Sheriff's Office has not commented on their deputy's death.
Helene's heavy rains in the state's western mountains caused massive flooding and mudslides in the Asheville region, cutting off most communication and making the roads impassable.
Video posted online shows large portions of the city underwater.
The death toll from Helene has climbed to 90 people, with 30 deaths in North Carolina and 25 in South Carolina as of Sunday night.