Almost unimaginable amounts of rains fell along a swath of the U.S. more than 200 miles long, rushing from tall peaks and turning tumbling mountain streams into unrecognizable torrents. Rushing waters flooded valleys, completely surrounding a hospital in East Tennessee and cutting off entire communities in Western North Carolina.

The North Carolina death toll included one horrific story after another of people who were trapped by floodwaters in their homes or vehicles.