MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- What’s unfolding in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina is nothing short of a catastrophe. Days of rain from Hurricane Helene created the worst natural disaster in Appalachia in modern history. It’s a reminder of why we watch the tropics even though the mid-south is hundreds of miles from the coast. PHOTOS: Helene brings flooding, damage as storm barrels ahead As Helene made landfall as a category 4 beast in Florida, the devastation in Appalachia was already beginning. Days of rain ahead of the storm compounded when it moved over the mountains, causing what is being described as a worst-case scenario.  The historic towns of Boone and Chimney Rock North Carolina are among the growing list of towns wiped away or changed forever. The death toll is in the hundreds, with far more people not accounted for.  There’s precedent for this type of disaster, but rarely in that region. Live: How you can help after Helene In 2017, Hurricane Harvey buried Houston with 60 inches of rain. A year later Florence hit North Carolina with 35. It’s a tragic reminder that it’s not all about the wind and storm surge. The rain, especially in the mountains, can also be a disaster.