Aerial search and rescue teams flew 48 more missions Saturday, locating 39 stranded survivors in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic flooding. So far, since the storm hit, 6,586 people have been rescued, evacuated or helped by search and rescue teams.
In the last 10 days, nearly 50 search and rescue teams have deployed more than 1,600 first responders to the region. State and local emergency services are now assisted by approximately 1,700 NC National Guard personnel (NCNG) and with the help of 1,000 active duty military personnel.
“Continued search and rescue missions in rugged terrain, better communications and more resources on the ground are helping as we race to find the missing, reunite families and coordinate the delivery of supplies,” he said. Governor Roy Cooper. “The people of Western North Carolina are strong and deserve all the help we can get them, and I’m grateful everyone has stepped up to help as we emerge from this unprecedented storm.”
At Governor Cooper’s request, nearly 1,000 base troops Fort Liberty y Fort Campbell They have been mobilized to assist in search and rescue missions, as well as in the coordination of air traffic to ensure safety; They are partnering with the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to accelerate the work of removing obstacles from roads and highways, and are joining emergency control entities at the county level to distribute basic goods, such as food and water. An additional 500 active duty soldiers will join those already deployed.
Communications in the region are improving rapidly, making it easier to identify the pressing needs of communities and individuals. This Sunday, telephone service providers reported significant advances in service coverage, with an estimated 80% restoration of service in the region. Federal Emergency Management Agency teams (FEMA) They will install a fiber optic cable to support allied telecommunications companies to reestablish communications in the rest of the inaccessible areas. 30 satellite panel systems have already arrived Starlinkwhich will support search and rescue efforts now underway at the NC Emergency Response Center and at mobile locations.
The population and construction crews in the most affected areas are urged to be careful when removing debris and not disrupt the fiber optic cables or the infrastructure of the cellular service towers, so critical to keeping the roads open. communications. The population in the affected area must restart their cell phones periodically so that the devices reconnect to the newly repaired infrastructure.
Actions by the military and the NC National Guard
Governor Cooper activated more than 1,700 NC National Guard Soldiers and Airmen who are conducting ongoing search and rescue operations and delivering critical supplies. Active duty military personnel and equipment requested by the Governor are now also part of the response efforts.
The National Guard and military personnel from NC and other states, to facilitate missions, are conducting operations in western NC with more than 50 helicopters and more than 716 specialized vehicles. The US Army Corps of Engineers is helping evaluate wastewater plants and hydraulic dams. Residents can track the status of the public water supply in their area through a portal, launched on Saturday and displayed here.
FEMA Assistance
To date, more than US$30.2 million in Individual Assistance funds have been disbursed FEMAsee the portal displayed here, to the victims of western NC; More than 96,747 people have registered to receive this Assistance. Nearly 1,700 people are now housed in hotels through the Transitional Shelter Assistance Program. FEMA. Federal allies have delivered more than 6.1 million liters of water and more than 4.1 million individual meals in North Carolina, in support of both first responders and the population of affected communities.
More than 700 elements of FEMA are in the state to assist relief efforts in western NC. In addition to search, rescue and merchandise supply tasks, they are meeting with victims in shelters and neighborhoods to provide quick access to relief resources; Staff can be identified by their clothing with the logo FEMA and your federal government credential.
President Biden authorized the issuance of a Major Disaster Declaration, requested by the Gov. Cooper, which now covers 27 NC counties (Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes y Yancey) plus the Eastern Strip of Natives Cherokee.
North Carolinians can apply for Individual Assistance by calling the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily; also visiting the portal displayed here; or by downloading the application FEMA for cell phone. FEMA may have the ability to help address significant needs, displacement, temporary housing, basic home repair costs, loss of personal property, and other needs resulting from the disaster.
Help from other states in the country
More than 1,600 first responders from 35 state and local agencies have flown 102 missions in support of response and recovery measures through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (Emergency Management Assistance Compact, EMAC), which includes health sector nurses, emergency control teams supporting local governments, veterinarians, search dog teams and more.
Alert for misinformation
NC Div. of Emergency Management (NCEM) and local authorities are alerting the public about false reports regarding Helene and about misinformation being shared on social networks, which is why a response portal was launched comparing facts against rumors, deployed here, to provide factual information after the passage of this hurricane. FEMA It also maintains a portal with the topic of facts versus rumors, displayed here.
Distribution points for food, water and other merchandise
Efforts to provide food, water and basic necessities to the inhabitants of the affected communities continue; NCNG air and ground delivery resources are being used. More than 20,000 hot meals are being prepared and served in mobile kitchen units; Food, water and merchandise distribution points are open throughout western North Carolina. For information about these sites within your community, visit social media and local emergency management and local government portals; Also visit the portal displayed here.
missing persons
To report a person missing, or to request important but ordinary support, call the NC 211 service; If the call is from outside NC, dial 1-888-892-1162. NC 211 also has a missing person registration and welfare check application portal, displayed here.
Hostels
In western NC, as of Saturday night, a total of 22 shelters were open, sheltering more than 825 people and 94 pets.
Storm Damage Cleanup
If your home has been damaged and you need assistance with cleanup tasks, call Crisis Cleanup at 1-844-965-1386; You can gain access to volunteer organizations that can be of assistance.
Power outages
Across western NC, as of 12:30 PM today, nearly 142,000 customers remain without power, a decline from the peak of more than one million; Overall power outage numbers will fluctuate somewhat as construction crews temporarily disconnect circuits or substations to make repairs and restore service to more customers.
Road and highway closures
Vehicular traffic remains dangerous; As of Sunday morning, nearly 650 roads and highways remain closed. More than 100 of these roads and highways are major routes linking the region. As Internet connectivity and reporting measures improve, this figure could rise.
The NC Department of Transportation asks the population to refrain from heading towards western North Carolina or its surrounding areas; This agency has published a map with interstate detour routes, consult the portal displayed here; Motorists are encouraged to avoid heading west of NC. NCDOT currently has more than 2,050 employees and 1,100 equipment working at more than 3,200 damaged road and highway sites.
Fateful events
In North Carolina, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed sixty-seven cases of deaths linked to the storm; This figure is expected to continue increasing in the coming days; The Examiner’s Office will continue to confirm the figures. If you have an emergency, or think someone is in danger, call 911; To report that you have been unable to contact a person in Western North Carolina, call 211.
Volunteers and donations
Due to dangerous road conditions and the need to keep routes open for emergency operations, people are strongly advised not to head into western North Carolina; Instead, you may want to consider the following options for making a donation or volunteering:
• If you would like to make a donation to the fund North Carolina Disaster Relief Fundvisit the portal displayed here. Donations will support local nonprofit organizations working in the field.
• If you are looking for information on how to volunteer, visit the portal displayed here.
Additional assistance
There is no right or wrong way to feel about a hurricane trauma reaction. If you have been affected by the storm and need to talk to someone, you can call or text the service’s help line Disaster Distress at 1-800-985-5990. Help is also available in English or Spanish to anyone, at any time, via call, text or online conversation by dialing 988; get more information in the portal displayed here.
If you would like to contact a representative of the NC Unified Information Center (North Carolina Joint Information Center)write to: ncempio@ncdps.gov ; or call (919) 825-2599.
If you want to obtain general information, access to resources, or answers to the most frequently asked questions, consult the portal displayed here.
For information on assistance with recovery resources for residents affected by the storm, please email: IArecovery@ncdps.gov
###
