"Slogging through a thick slop of mud and rock, Brian Hill passed the roof that Hurricane Helene's floodwaters had just ripped off someone's barn and dumped into his yard. Then he peered into the unrecognizable chaos inside what had been his family's dream home. The century-old white farmhouse, surrounded by the rugged peaks of western North Carolina, sat less than 15 yards from the normally tranquil Cattail Creek."
"Across Helene's devastating path through the Southeast, people like the Hills turned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA doles out financial help after a major disaster for everything from home repairs to rental assistance. Once she could get a cell signal, Susie applied. It took months of persistence, but eventually the Hills were among the lucky ones. They received close to $40,000, just shy of the maximum amount FEMA provides for rebuilding and repairs."
Hurricane Helene dumped heavy rainfall into the Black Mountains, swelling normally tranquil creeks into raging rivers that destroyed homes and property. Floodwaters tore roofs from barns, smashed porches and windows, and rendered a century-old farmhouse uninhabitable. Many affected homeowners did not carry flood insurance because their properties were outside the 100-year floodplain. Residents sought federal disaster assistance from FEMA for repairs and rental support. The process required persistence and months of waiting for applications and determinations. Some households secured nearly $40,000 in aid, close to FEMA's rebuilding-and-repair maximum, while outcomes and timeliness varied across impacted communities.
Read at Truthout
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