Lake Lure Flowering Bridge near Chimney Rock reportedly swept away by Helene floods

As rescue efforts continue, community members are mourning the loss of two beloved landmarks in Lake Lure North Carolina, that were swept away in floods brought by Tropical Storm Helene.

The full death toll for the floods is not yet known after catastrophic flooding ripped through communities Friday. Many areas in western North Carolina remained without power, and phone and internet service was down through Saturday afternoon.

But community members are mourning the loss of two special places that held memories for visitors from far and near.

Lake Lure Flowering Bridge was a three-arch bridge built in 1925 to carry traffic between Lake Lure and Chimney Rock. When the bridge was decommissioned in 2011, volunteers worked together to preserve the bridge, and planted 30 themed gardens across the entire 155-foot space, including a children's garden and a dog garden.

Video footage from Lake Lure shows that the bridge was destroyed by floodwaters.

Part of the Flowering Bridge site was Rainbow Bridge, a memorial commemorating dearly departed dogs. Tucked away in a lush green mountain wonderland, hundreds of colorful pet collars were placed by pet owners on the bridge's rails, a picturesque place to "peacefully honor and remember our four-legged family members," a sign at the spot previously read.

Conceptualized by artist Amy Wald to help families heal from the loss of their pet the Rainbow Bridge was also apparently destroyed by floods on Friday.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Lake Lure Flowering Bridge near Chimney Rock swept away by floods