South Raleigh News

A substantial relief effort is underway in Western North Carolina as the region recovers from Hurricane Helene. Over 1,500 North Carolina National Guard personnel are collaborating with soldiers from the 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Liberty. These troops, alongside the NCDOT, are clearing roads and distributing essential commodities. Additionally, they are involved in search and rescue operations and managing air traffic for relief missions.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is assessing local water and wastewater facilities, while FEMA has disbursed over $27 million in Individual Assistance to affected residents. Approximately 83,000 people have registered for aid, with nearly 1,400 temporarily housed through FEMA's Transitional Sheltering Assistance program.

More than 755 FEMA personnel are assisting on the ground, engaging directly with disaster survivors to provide immediate access to resources. The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) has brought over 1,100 responders from 34 states to support recovery efforts.

Governor Roy Cooper expressed gratitude for nationwide support: “Resources from around the nation are at work helping Western North Carolina’s storm response and recovery.”

In response to the crisis, Governor Cooper issued an executive order enhancing healthcare capacity by allowing out-of-state professionals and recent retirees to contribute to recovery efforts. The order also permits emergency medication orders and waives fees for vital records replacement.

Authorities warn against misinformation circulating on social media about Hurricane Helene. To combat this, NCEM has launched a fact-checking webpage, complemented by a similar initiative from FEMA.

Efforts continue to supply food and water to affected communities via ground transport and air drops conducted by the NC National Guard. Points of distribution have been established across impacted counties, providing essentials and free Wi-Fi.

Power restoration efforts are ongoing; approximately 173,000 customers remain without power as of Saturday morning. The number has decreased significantly from a peak outage affecting over one million customers.

Shelters remain operational with 22 locations housing more than 915 individuals overnight. Additional shelters will open as necessary.

Search and rescue teams comprising over 1,600 personnel have engaged with more than 5,400 people during operations in the region.

Travel remains hazardous due to road closures; approximately 650 roads were closed as of Saturday morning. NCDOT advises against non-essential travel in affected areas while crews work on restoring critical routes.

Communication networks disrupted by the storm are gradually being restored as cellphone providers deploy temporary solutions like mobile towers.

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed sixty-eight storm-related fatalities so far. This number may rise as assessments continue.

Military involvement includes active-duty personnel approved by President Biden upon Governor Cooper's request to bolster ongoing operations in Western North Carolina.

Public donations can be directed to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund through nc.gov/donate. Volunteer opportunities are available via nc.gov/working/volunteer-opportunities/volunteernc.

Residents needing assistance with storm damage cleanup can contact Crisis Cleanup at 844-965-1386 for volunteer support.

FEMA's Individual Assistance funds exceed $28 million distributed among homeowners and renters in Western NC following a Major Disaster Declaration that now covers multiple counties including Mecklenburg and Swain. Eligible residents can apply for aid through various channels provided by FEMA.

For emotional support related to hurricane trauma or distress calls can be made to the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or through other specified contacts offering multilingual services around-the-clock.

For general information or resource access related queries concerning Hurricane Helene's impact visit ncdps.gov/helene or contact relevant state agencies via provided emails or phone numbers.