South Asheville News

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Congressman Chuck Edwards has provided an update on recovery efforts in Western North Carolina. On the fifth day since the disaster struck, Edwards acknowledged the anxiety among residents as they adapt to a changed environment. He reassured citizens that assistance is on its way and encouraged them to remain calm.

"Help is here, and it is only a matter of time before our beautiful mountains will return to that state of calm serenity," Edwards stated. He emphasized the resilience of mountain communities and expressed optimism about rebuilding efforts.

Emergency response teams are prioritizing the supply of drinkable water, with 155 systems under boil advisories and several plants without power or water. The state promises daily deliveries of food and water until at least October 6th, while FEMA has committed to ongoing support without a specified end date.

Resource distribution sites have been established across various counties including Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, McDowell, and Rutherford. These sites provide essentials such as food, water, and other necessities.

Debris removal efforts are underway with resources available for waste disposal in affected counties. Additionally, mail delivery operations face disruptions due to facility closures in certain ZIP code areas.

Pharmacy access remains limited with several CVS locations closed; however, alternative options are being coordinated to ensure medication availability. Power restoration continues with Duke Energy working diligently despite challenges posed by damaged infrastructure.

Road conditions remain hazardous with over 400 roads closed. Communication issues have hindered data collection on road closures but efforts continue around the clock for debris clearance and repairs.

Cell service disruptions persist; however, temporary solutions like Starlink dishes and mobile cellular units have been deployed to improve connectivity in impacted areas.

The North Carolina National Guard has mobilized nearly 800 personnel along with vehicles and helicopters for search and rescue operations as well as supply delivery missions. They have successfully conducted rescues and transported significant amounts of supplies by air.

For those seeking individual assistance through FEMA or reconnecting with loved ones via NC 211 services after Hurricane Helene's impact can find additional resources online regarding utility status updates or shelter availability within affected regions such as Buncombe County's A-B Technical Community College or Haywood County Government Armory among others listed throughout this report issued by Congressman Chuck Edwards' office today—October 2nd—regarding ongoing recovery efforts following recent storm events impacting Western North Carolina residents adversely across multiple counties statewide now receiving federal aid declarations accordingly based upon initial assessments conducted post-disaster period thus far noted hereinabove correspondingly cited per latest official communique disseminated publicly forthwith directly attributable thereto: "We are resilient."