Posted on 09/29/2024 12:56:07 PM PDT by CFW
More than 1,000 people have been reported unaccounted for in a devastated North Carolina county where 10 people have already been confirmed dead after Hurricane Helene, officials said Sunday.
Authorities in Buncombe County reported the horrifying toll in an emergency meeting announcing emergency medical shelters and ongoing rescue efforts in areas almost overwhelmed by stormwater.
They also announced a special website to appeal for help finding those unaccounted for — with “more than 1,000 reports so far,” one local official told the live-streamed meeting.
“We’re doing the best we can,” Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller said of conditions making it almost impossible to reach the stranded due to collapsed roads, failing infrastructure and widespread flooding.
Many of the unaccounted for are hoped to just be those without electricity and efforts to let loved ones know they are safe, officials said.
However, the county, home to Asheville, already has 10 of the Tar Heel State’s 11 confirmed deaths — a terrible toll expected to soon rise, Gov. Roy Cooper conceded.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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“The Biltmore House could shelter many of these frightened, homeless people. Have they opened its doors yet?”
You would first have to get them there safely. The Biltmore Village area is severely flooded:
I couldn’t imagine being in Western North Carolina and thinking we got to get out of here because a Hurricane is coming to the Gulf Coast of Florida..
Don’t know when an uh oh started for North Carolinians,but it was odd to be watching for Florida reports and hearing about the extreme weather warnings were actually all the way up in North Carolina and Virginia all seemingly connected to a Gulf of Mexico Hurricane that hadn’t even made landfall yet..
“The town of Chimney Rock NC has ceased to exist after flood and mudslide, buildings are gone!”
I saw those pictures. Just heartbreaking. Place that have survived for a hundred or more years have been wiped off the map.
As I said, my niece is miserable, but she is so lucky to be living up a steep road on the side of a mountain. Her street comes up off of Mainstreet in Asheville, and if you have seen the pictures all the buildings there are under water. So to be hot, without water, electricity, AC, or cell service, is better than her alternatives at the moment. She is supposed to contact me when she arrives at her friends house if she can get through. She said it would take several hours but I’m hoping to hear from her soon.
There’s several ways in to it.
This was a historical rain event even for historical rain events. Yes, record rain was predicted but not at the levels actually received.
You are right. There was no way we could all evacuate the south. Here in Georgia, we had Florida evacuees but many ended up right in the middle of flooding. Half the residents of five states would have had to have evacuated. People have become wary of doing so since in the past they have spent money and time to do so only for the storm to be a non-event.
Also, right now people have limited funds so they have to weigh the chances of the storm actually happening so they use their rent money to evacuate. But what if the storm doesn’t come? Then, they are broke and two states away and now rent is due.
I can’t be too hard on those that didn’t evacuate TN, NC, and SC.
So true!! I live in Central Florida but when add hurricanes to the changing nomenclature du jour and start calling them cyclones and over hyping everything from a splinter on, I do tend to start listening with half my attention. Don’t ignore, I’m not stupid- but do question everything
My daughter and her husband had been instructors there in the past. In fact, they met there about 8 years ago.
I hope they get through this. They do some cool stuff there.
You don’t house refugees in a museum.
What you say makes sense. I wondered if there could have been better inland evacuation warnings but some things just are: too fast too, unpredictable and out of our control 😢😢
Musk’s Starlink is being set up in several locations and free service is being provided, first to Sheriff’s departments and other rescue agencies, and then to others.
Anyone wanting to donate to that cause can do so through the storm chasers and Ryan Hall Ya’ll’s Youtube channel.
For details.
“Live: More updates on Asheville, North Carolina flooding damage amid Helene”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQdaFN_ZR7E
“LIVE - Headed to North Carolina to Deliver Starlinks”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsK1NqPQNbU
No. Not Asheville. The areas where real people live. The hardworking people in all the valleys and towns. I have friends there. It’s horrific.
The Biltmore House could shelter many of these frightened, homeless people. Have they opened its doors yet?
**********
The roads are closed. 400 roads are closed. There is no way to get to the Biltmore house. Even if the Biltmore house was accessible, there is not enough food, water, medicine or enough bathrooms at the Biltmore house. You must understand, there are no easy solutions or ideas that have not been thought of. The Biltmore house is down a long country road.
Biltmore House is remote and, without extensive preparation, is ill-suited as a shelter. In addition, the main road there ran along a river that overflowed and took out the road and several bridges.
But sending out emails or texts to loved ones via radio is a very important sevice during times of disaster.
**********
There is no power. There is no cell service.
Actually, metro Asheville trends left and Democrat. Your point though about Biden’s unconcern is valid.
Nick Sortor
@nicksortor
🚨 WEST NORTH CAROLINA STARLINK UPDATE:
Cell signal is still practically NON-EXISTENT. Our Asheville Starlink hubs are handling HUNDREDS of people connected to them simultaneously.
They’ve been a MASSIVE hit so far, so I’m buying 10 more, and
@Captain_Meadows
will be flying them in tomorrow.
The goal is to have them spread out among multiple towns outside of Asheville, as those places are being totally forgotten.
Stay tuned for an update on the federal response.
They need to outperform Biden/Harris/Walz. At least in style, even two billionaires can't outbid those signing Uncle Sam's checks. But in promises four months from now they are equal. And in the ability to promise they'll investigate any complaints FEMA underperformed they have an advantage. And name any disaster (other than under Ron DeSantis) about which there haven't been complaints about government responses. Expect miracles from DeSantis. Hope Kemp has learned from his neighbor. Blame any problems in NC on lame duck Gov, local liberals in Asheville government, and especially Harris. Can't expect Biden or Harris to lead an open ended press conference on disaster relief.
Perhaps they should devert some of that money going to illegals and get some help to American citizens.
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