RV camper swept away in Virginia river flooded by Helene

A recreational vehicle was captured on video being swept away by a gushing river in Virginia as remnants of Hurricane Helene caused widespread flooding last month. (Credit: Benjamin Laparra via Storyful)

FRIES, Va. - A recreational vehicle was captured on video being swept away by a gushing river in Virginia as remnants of Hurricane Helene caused widespread flooding last month.

The dramatic footage of the camper was captured by Benjamin Laparra near Fries on September 27.

Laparra recounted the event to Storyful, saying, "We were at the dam, taking photos and videos of the amount of water, and there was a guy telling us that there were a couple RV campers rolling down the river."

He added that he and his girlfriend were visiting for the weekend when the weather took a turn, leaving them without electricity or WiFi and unable to contact their families. Despite the rough conditions, they managed to get through the weekend.

Rescuers are still searching for people unaccounted for after Helene struck last week, leaving behind a trail of death and catastrophic damage. The death toll from Helene has surpassed 180 across six states.