As Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the Southeastern United States, one viral video offered a touch of humor during the disaster.
TikToker @nc_tweeder5 captured the surreal and hilarious moment a life-size ceramic hippo statue floated down a flooded street in Biltmore Village, Asheville, North Carolina.
In the video, floodwaters can be seen rushing through the town as residents watch in disbelief.
“Well, that’s it,” says one of the speakers, before another exclaims, “Oh my God!”
Those behind the camera had noticed somethings strange—a large hippo statue drifting by.
“The ceramic, the ceramic hippo,” one remarks, followed by a burst of laughter as another speaker added: “Jesus Christ. Oh I gotta get a video.”
The unexpected sight of the hippo in the water brought a brief moment of joy amid the devastation.
Helene made landfall in Florida on Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. It has caused widespread destruction across multiple states, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, leading to at least 107 deaths according to The Associated Press.
Millions remain without power, with South Carolina being the hardest hit. As of Monday, more than 755,000 outages were reported across the state, including over 200,000 in Greenville County alone. The storm’s effects have also been felt far inland, with severe flooding reaching the mountains of North Carolina, including Asheville.
As recovery efforts continue, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has deployed more than 800 staff to assist the states impacted by the hurricane.
A picture of the ceramic hippo floating down the street in Asheville, North Carolina.
@nc_tweeder5/TikTok
Despite the devastation, the video of the floating hippo statue has brought some joy and laughter to a difficult moment—something that viewers were quick to point out.
“Sometimes you have to find the joy in the situation. We are all human with a wide range of emotions, and it’s OK to feel every single one of them, no matter the situation,” user @Pomeraniac commented.
Another commenter, @blainelliott543, said: “A bit of joy and honor in an awful situation.”
MachineManTanks joked that the video “Needs the David Attenborough voice-over,” referring to the British broadcaster best known for presenting wildlife documentaries, while TiktokerBilly Nixit’s said: “So nice to hear laughter coming from such a devastated area sometimes it’s all you can do I’m praying for all of you.”
“I am amazed at the things that float!, @caseysartjournal said.”And I hope you are safe and healthy.”
Newsweek reached out to @nc_tweeder5 on TikTok.
