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Hurricane Helen It made landfall in Florida on Thursday and began its destructive path through the southeastern United States.

The storm inundated the Gulf Coast and Panhandle of western Florida, eastern Tennessee, parts of western North Carolina, and parts of Georgia and South Carolina with record rainfall, and the resulting flooding devastated many parts of the region. At this time, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida all qualify for “major disaster declaration” status, which provides federal disaster assistance. FEMA.

If you have plans to visit any of these areas, it is important to know that you may not be able to visit not only in the near future but also for an extended period of time as recovery and cleanup continues.

Here’s a guide on what to do if you’ve planned a trip to the southeastern US to places including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, western North Carolina, or eastern Tennessee.

Is it safe to travel in the Southeast US?

Western North Carolina

“Catastrophic,” the term used to describe storm conditions in western North Carolina and the region encompassing Buncombe County, includes the city of Asheville as well as large portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway. According to Washington Post, The Swannanoa River, which crosses Asheville’s historic Biltmore Village, “reached a record high of 26 feet Friday afternoon, surpassing the last major flood event in 2004 by more than 6 feet.”

Consequently, Visit North Carolina, the tourism arm of the North Carolina government, a statement on their website It says: “Visitors should not travel into the mountains and should call their travel provider to confirm alternative travel plans, including reservations with accommodation providers, and heed any guidance from local authorities.” State Transport Department Posted on social media that “all roads in western North Carolina should be considered closed.”

East Tennessee

Eastern regions Tennessee, Flooding affected, including Knoxville. A portion of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee-North Carolina border was washed away, as were a number of bridges in the area. (Note that while both Nashville and Memphis experienced record-setting rainfall, both are accessible and open for tourism.)

Some areas of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Also closed including Newfound Gap Road/Hwy 441, Kuwohee Road (formerly Clingmans Dome Road) and the Cataloochee Valley area.

The National Park Service (NPS) is currently assessing the condition of the park following the storm. According to the NPS website“While we know this is a popular time to visit the park, visitors are encouraged to reschedule their trips for their own safety. If visitors choose to visit, they are asked to recreate responsibly—know your limits, Avoid water recreation and know emergency response times may be delayed, the unpredictability of creek crossings, the potential for downed trees and other hazardous trail conditions may delay emergency services (not related to many events. storms) over the past few days.”

Florida

According to the official tourism website of the state, Visit Florida“Hurricane Helen was a very large storm that affected a wide area of ​​Florida.” And as such, they have provided a list of resources to investigate specific areas. This Tampa area as well Sarasota And its barrier islands were particularly hard hit and are currently difficult to reach. This Sarasota Govt Asking people, “Please avoid North and South Lido Beach. Storm recovery efforts are being disrupted by those trying to access the beach. If you do not need to be in the area, please stay away.”

Georgia

All of Georgia is under it State of Emergency from Governor CampHowever the airport is open and many services are available. This City of Atlanta A boil water order is in place and the city expects to clear many of the 150 downed trees by October 2.

South Carolina

The official tourism website of the state, Discover South Carolina“Due to Hurricane Helen, please be advised that you may experience temporarily long lines at some gas stations,” advises travelers. Many parts of western South Carolina, incl Greenvilleare still without power, although power companies aim to restore power by October 4. According to the Greenville Government website.

When will Southeast reopen after Hurricane Helen?

All affected states are currently in the midst of assessing and mitigating damage while simultaneously waiting for electric and water services to be fully restored.

PowerOutage.us There are reports that about 1.8 million people in the Southeast are currently without electricity.

Airlines that allow flight changes to Southeast

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is offering Flexible travel policies Atlanta (ATL), Cancun (CUN), Orlando (MCO), Ft. Meyers (RSW) and Tampa (TPA).

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines does not have any current travel advisories.

American Airlines

American Airlines is waiving change fees for flights to, through or from Asheville (AVL).

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines does not have a current travel advisory, but always allows ticket changes without penalty.

Delta Air Lines

Delta offers Rebooking options to a large number of airports and destinations in the Southeast US, Mexico and the Caribbean, including Atlanta flights. However, changes must be made by October 1.

United Airlines

United allows Changes free of charge Oct. 5 for flights to and from Asheville.

What to do if you have a hotel or Airbnb booked in the Southeast

If you made a reservation directly with a hotel, check their website first and see if they have posted any updates. You can also call the main reservation number. Keep in mind that many phones are not working, and the property can handle emergencies, so calling the property directly should be a last resort.

If you’ve booked through a third-party online travel agent (OTA) or an aggregator like Expedia or Travelocity, it’s important to understand the cancellation policy. This The OTA still owns your reservation prior to your travel, so contacting the hotel directly will direct you back to the OTA or travel portal for assistance.

“For affected hotels available on Expedia and Hotels.com, we are waiving the cancellation policy and sharing guidance with our travelers who have impacted trips,” the company said. Vrbo, which is also part of the Expedia group, has activated it Elastic policy“Travelers will be able to receive a full refund for eligible reservations. We will continue to work with Vrbo hosts who have upcoming bookings in the affected areas to ensure that all of our travelers are treated fairly.”

For travelers who booked accommodation with Airbnb, the company announced its “Major Disruptive Events Policy“For parts of the Southeast. Eligible guests with reservations will receive a full refund, and both hosts and guests can cancel bookings penalty-free, the company said. (Airbnb.org also offers Free, temporary housing (For those displaced from their homes by Hurricane Helen in North Carolina and Florida.)

What to do if you have a cruise departing from Florida

For cruise passengers, it is important to understand the cancellation or rebooking policy for the specific cruise line you will be traveling on.

Currently, there are no cruise port closures in the affected areas. however, Cruise lines may need to reroute to avoid areas experiencing the storm or its aftermath. As TPG’s cruise team reported, under the terms of the cruise contract, which you agree to before you set sail, you don’t have to pay compensation if the cruise lines change your itinerary. If changes are made, you will be refunded for any shore excursions you booked through the cruise line that were scheduled to take place in the ports from which you are departing. (Check with your tour provider directly if you booked a third-party excursion.)

TPG’s guide on what happens if a cruise is canceled is the next place to refer for guidance if you receive notification that your cruise has been cancelled.

Related: What if my cruise line changes my itinerary or ship?

Will your credit card or trip insurance cover change?

If you purchased travel insurance before Hurricane Helen hit, you may be able to cover most of your travel expenses. Unfortunately, if you bought a policy after the hurricane was named, it’s too late to buy travel insurance.

“Insurance covers the unexpected,” says Jenna Hummer, public relations director at SquareMouth (a company that compares travel insurance from major U.S. providers), “so something was once considered ‘predictable’ — in this case, when the tropics. A storm or hurricane is named – you can no longer get coverage for that storm.”

“Trip cancellations and trip interruptions will cover prepaid, non-refundable expenses lost or unused due to hurricanes,” says Stan Sandberg, co-founder of TravelInsurance.com. “Many plans will also provide coverage if there is a mandatory evacuation at the destination. Some plans will also provide coverage if there is a NOAA hurricane warning at your destination during the dates of your trip.”

Trip delay coverage will reimburse you for unexpected travel expenses such as food, transportation, internet service and accommodation when your flight is delayed for a long time.

Related: Top Travel Mistakes to Avoid During Hurricane Season

With trip insurance, which is part of the credit card benefits, “remember that your credit card won’t cover anything that wasn’t purchased on that card,” says Hummer. “So, if you haven’t paid for your entire trip with that card or other people in your group have used another payment method, you won’t be fully covered.”

TPG has a comprehensive guide on credit cards that covers trip cancellations and interruptions and what may be covered in a natural disaster.

Related: Your credit card’s travel insurance can help with travel hassles 4 times over, not 7 times over.

How to help Hurricane Helen recovery efforts

If you want to help those in the path of the storm, there are several options to explore:

The bottom line

Hurricane Helen brought unprecedented rainfall and destruction to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The cleanup has just begun and may continue for some time. If you plan to travel to the area, check ahead to see if your accommodation is still open and that the area you’re hoping to visit has power and running water. It may be wise to delay or cancel your plans until a future date.

For more helpful tips on navigating travel during hurricane season, read: