Gov. Cooper with National Guard in Western North Carolina

Oct. 1. Police departments, businesses and churches are rushing emergency supplies into Western North Carolina in an unprecedented response to an unprecedented tragedy.

Cornelius Police took five loads of emergency supplies to flood victims in Boone, Sparta, Newland and Black Mountain, but they’re on pause right now, in part because of the overwhelming response from the community.

“We may start accepting them again soon but we were at the point of being over run. The community is so giving they were dropping off more than we could take which is a tremendous blessing,” said Chief David Baucom.

Chief Baucom

This will be a long and difficult recovery. Most victims do not have flood insurance.

Dozens dead

At least three dozen people are dead and many more are missing. The official response so far, with some details as of Monday night:

More than 400 National Guard deployed

• Search and rescue teams, including 18 from other states with a total of 27 teams as far west as Colorado and as far north as New Hampshire, plus 18 federal teams, have rescued more than 500 people with 422 of those rescued by the NC National Guard (NCNG.) Forty-two were critically injured, four were infants and 64 animals. The NCNG has also delivered 306 pallets of water and 230 pallets of food since the storm started.
  

  Cornelius Police collected emergency supplies for Western North Carolina

Feeding Sites

Efforts are under way to provide food, water and basic necessities to residents in affected communities, utilizing both ground resources and air drops from the NC National Guard. FEMA has delivered about 1 million liters of water and more than 600,000 meals to North Carolina. Feeding sites have been established at the following locations:

• Buncombe County – Biltmore Baptist Church, 35 Clayton Road, Arden, NC 28704
• McDowell County – Grace Community Church, 5182 Highway 70 West, Marion, NC 28752
• Watauga County – First Baptist Church, 375 West King Street, Boone, NC 28607

Local governments may be able to provide additional information on feeding sites established in local communities.

Shelters

• Twenty-nine shelters have been opened in affected areas, housing a total of 1107 people.
• A list of shelters can be found at www.readync.gov.

Major Disaster Declaration and FEMA Assistance

• President Biden approved Governor Cooper’s request for an expedited request declaring a Major Disaster for 25 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. This declaration paves the way for Public Assistance to help our hard-hit local governments, as well as access to FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. More than 5,000 households have contacted FEMA to apply for assistance by phone and online.
• FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs. Homeowners and renters in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can apply.
• Additional information regarding these resources can be found at: www.disasterassistance.gov   
• FEMA helpline: 1-800-621-3362.