Helene

September 2024

👉 “Hurricane Helene hit the Southeast in September 2024… the deadliest storm since Katrina. A year later, what’s happening with recovery?”

⚒️ “Roads and trails are being rebuilt—like the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail. Just look at what happened to Gooch Gap.
Crews are stabilizing slopes, fixing drainage, and paving for safe travel again.”

🏚️ “In western North Carolina, whole neighborhoods were wiped out. State leaders now say home rebuilding will finally begin this fall—almost a year after the storm.”

In the months following Helene, relief organizations provided over 73,000 pounds of food and 18,000 gallons of water, and awarded grants for rebuilding and cleanup efforts.

💉 “Health services are still catching up—some clinics remain unrepaired, forcing providers to improvise while waiting on rebuilds.”

🌄 “Tourism is bouncing back! Chimney Rock, one of North Carolina’s iconic attractions, just reopened—thanks to emergency bridges and a $700 million state recovery package.”

💰 “But here’s the problem—federal aid is lagging. Over $100 million in FEMA funds are approved but still stuck in the pipeline, leaving communities to wait.”

🌊 “Lake Lure—where the dam nearly failed—needs $200 million for upgrades. But FEMA cuts have thrown rebuilding into limbo.”

⚖️ “North Carolina’s governor is pushing for nearly $900 million more in recovery aid, on top of the billions already spent. But families and businesses are still waiting for real relief.”

Community solidarity and compassion are on full display during this process. For example,
students from a local high school built a new tiny home for a flood survivor.

✨ “From damaged roads and shuttered clinics to reopened landmarks and hard-fought aid—the Southeast is still rebuilding, one year after Helene.”

https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?pg=7881101&id=15C1BFE1-E552-49FB-A38A-E71821BC762C