Helene Aftermath…Are You Ok?

[mom2rtk]

I am seeing videos of the devastation on TikTok and am shocked and saddened that this in not in the national news. Granted, I don’t ’watch“ the news, but there is very little reporting on any of the major major news websites. Where is the response? Is there one? This looks to be as bad or worse than Katrina.

Big hugs to you and everyone affected. The cavalry is on its way.

I saw a post on our community Facebook page yesterday showing lines of emergency vehicles headed from our town to the affected areas. And I’m sure it’s the same in countless other places across the country.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Like you, many people get their news outside the major networks.

All the network morning shows are talking about the devastation.

People know how bad it is.

It's difficult to get in to devastated areas, as it was after Katrina. Right now, the areas can't support outsiders unless they come completely self sufficient.

The people to help will come. They're making preparations already.

Response from who?

The president has made several statements and opened channels for assistance.


https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...-helene/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
"President Biden and Vice President Harris closely monitor the situation, with regular updates from top officials like Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. FEMA personnel and resources were deployed before the storm, with Criswell personally visiting impacted areas.

The Administration approved emergency declarations for several states, enabling FEMA to assist with essential services like power restoration and search and rescue. 1,500 federal personnel, including 14 search and rescue teams, were deployed across the affected region. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard were mobilized to provide infrastructure support and emergency rescues.

Multiple federal agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), are working to protect critical infrastructure and public health. Supplies, including meals, water, and fuel, have been pre-positioned. The Department of Energy monitors power restoration, while the EPA assists with water systems and debris management.

Post-storm efforts are focused on assisting communities with recovery, protecting housing, and supporting public health. Various agencies, including HUD and the Department of Agriculture, are implementing measures to help displaced residents and ensure food security."

Yes, that exactly all what I've seen, read and heard.

 

[tvguy]

My wife's cousin lives in Savannah and had minor damaged to trees, but his power is still out. The ultimate irony, the power company texted him his bill during the power outage. So they have power at their billing office!

 

[HeatherC]

Yes, that exactly all what I've seen, read and heard.

That is good to hear. I actually had not heard that and was feeling quite concerned for our fellow Americans. I hope they can get help needed quickly and efficiently.

 

[luvthatduke]

I was just reading that it takes FEMA at least 4 days to get things started
even when they know what to expect.
Unfortunately no one in NC, Georgia, and inland expected this amount of catastrophe.
Rain, yes, wind, yes, perhaps a tornado...
But, nothing on this scale.

400+ roads are GONE in NC - people are stuck in their homes both higher up in the hills
as well as down below in flooded areas, or they can't get to the homes that are left.

Cell phone service is out in so many areas it's unbelievable.
100's or1,000's of people waiting to either make a call or receive a call.
I wonder if Musk will put StarLink overhead to help out for a week or so.

Power is supposed to be out for at least 5 days for most affected areas.

 

[HeatherC]

I was just reading that it takes FEMA at least 4 days to get things started
even when they know what to expect.
Unfortunately no one in NC, Georgia, and inland expected this amount of catastrophe.
Rain, yes, wind, yes, perhaps a tornado...
But, nothing on this scale.

400+ roads are GONE in NC - people are stuck in their homes both higher up in the hills
as well as down below in flooded areas, or they can't get to the homes that are left.

Cell phone service is out in so many areas it's unbelievable.
100's or1,000's of people waiting to either make a call or receive a call.
I wonder if Musk will put StarLink overhead to help out for a week or so.

Power is supposed to be out for at least 5 days for most affected areas.

So very devastating. With these storms becoming more frequent and more severe, we need action immediately if not sooner. 4 days is literally a lifetime in these situations. I know they mobilize earlier than that, but my point is response is needed swiftly and heavily and yet always seems too little too late no matter what the situation.

The one bright light is seeing all the stories of people helping each other out. Gives me hope that there is still so much good out there in the world.

 

[MGMmjl]

The Greenville-Spartanburg office of the NWS (that covers Asheville and other hard-hit mountainous areas in NC), posted this on Thursday before Helene made landfall:

"*URGENT MESSAGE*

This will be one of the most significant weather events to happen in the western portions of the area in the modern era. Record flooding is forecasted and has been compared to the floods of 1916 in the Asheville area. The impacts from this event are expected to be greater than Tropical Storm Fred from August 2021, the mountains in 2004 from Frances and Ivan, and in Upstate South Carolina the Saluda River Basin flooding from 1949. We plead with everyone that you take every single weather warning very seriously through the entirety of this event as impacts will be life-threatening and make sure to have multiple ways to receive the alerts. The protection of life and property is the overall mission of the National Weather Service, and we pledge to stand by the folks of the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia. We cannot stress the significance of this event enough. Heed all evacuation orders from your local Emergency Managers and go to a storm shelter if you do not feel safe at your current location.

Hurricane Helene will make landfall later this evening near the Big Bend of Florida. Significant to catastrophic, life-threatening flooding will occur along and near the Blue Ridge Escarpment. Historic flooding will be possible in this area as an additional 9-14" of rainfall will be in store. Many landslides will occur as a result, with a few large and severely damaging slope failures or debris flows are likely.

Possible hurricane-force gusts in the North Carolina mountains, northeast Georgia, and the western portion of Upstate South Carolina. 60-70 mph wind gusts possible elsewhere. The combination of strong winds and super saturated soils will lead to widespread trees down and numerous power outages."

At least they got the word out. They forecasted record flooding in the area. With that being said, I think more people were focused of course on Florida for landfall, and Atlanta inland as the center of the storm was forecast to move basically right over Atlanta (the center wound up moving east of there). Just a sad situation in that area. My wife and I honeymooned in Asheville, and we also visited many of the other smaller towns up there. Just heartbreaking seeing and hearing about all the devastation, destruction, and loss of life in that region.

 

[kymom99]

I was just reading that it takes FEMA at least 4 days to get things started
even when they know what to expect.
Unfortunately no one in NC, Georgia, and inland expected this amount of catastrophe.
Rain, yes, wind, yes, perhaps a tornado...
But, nothing on this scale.

400+ roads are GONE in NC - people are stuck in their homes both higher up in the hills
as well as down below in flooded areas, or they can't get to the homes that are left.

Cell phone service is out in so many areas it's unbelievable.
100's or1,000's of people waiting to either make a call or receive a call.
I wonder if Musk will put StarLink overhead to help out for a week or so.

Power is supposed to be out for at least 5 days for most affected areas.

FEMA is already in the area assisting and I’ve read they are setting up starlink stations

 

[kymom99]

Not to minimize anyone’s loss, but a friend of mine was talking about how sad the damage is in long boat key where her friend’s vacation home sustained damage. She’s telling me that this house is a mansion and it’s such a shame. Pool full of sand and the door blew open and water came in. I had trouble feeling bad for her friend when people have had everything they own washed away in the mountains.