Special to IFN
RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper has requested a Major Disaster Declaration from the federal government for North Carolina for 39 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians for federal Public Assistance and Individual Assistance in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene.
Public Assistance reimburses government entities and some non-profit organizations for emergency protective measures and debris removal, while Individual Assistance can provide direct financial support to impacted residents.
The declaration will start the process for providing critical financial assistance to people and communities hit hard by the storm. On Wednesday, President Biden approved Governor Cooper’s request for a Federal Emergency Declaration which provided federal financial reimbursement for response actions by government entities and some non-profits.
“Helene brought pain and destruction to our state and we’re working to get help to people quickly,” Cooper said. “As waters recede and winds die down, families and communities will need assistance to clean up and recover and this request can help speed up the process.”
After making landfall Thursday night in Florida, Helene traveled north bringing record rainfall to the mountain and foothill regions of North Carolina. Landslides and major flooding are still occurring in many western counties and more than 900,000 households statewide are without power. Two people in North Carolina have lost their lives to the storm so far and first responders continue with emergency response and rescue efforts. Central and eastern parts of the state have also seen impacts also with multiple tornados reported and many counties still under flood warnings as rivers continue to rise.
Travel remains extremely dangerous in the foothills and mountains, where officials are urging people to shelter in place and avoid driving except in emergency situations. The N.C. Department of Transportation has warned people to consider all roads in western North Carolina closed unless you are seeking higher ground. Motorists should not attempt to drive through standing water or around barricades.
All available state resources have been mobilized since Gov. Cooper declared a State of Emergency on Wednesday. The State Emergency Response Team continues to support impacted communities with equipment, personnel and resources, including the North Carolina Swift Water Rescue Teams and Urban Search and Rescue Teams, and more than 378 North Carolina National Guard soldiers. Utility crews from other states and Canada have also been recruited to assist with post-storm debris removal and restoration of power in areas experiencing outages.
North Carolina residents throughout storm-impacted areas are urged to monitor news reports and follow guidance from local officials. For information about traffic, power outages, shelters and more, visit ReadyNC.gov.