Joe Biden, the current resident of the White House, has decided to make a visit to Western North Carolina in the aftermath of the destructive Hurricane Helene. The weary emergency personnel have been working unceasingly to restore some form of normalcy in the area, including rebuilding infrastructure and reestablishing communication and electricity services. The death toll, already at 133 people, continues to rise as many are still missing.
In what seems like a twisted emphasis on voting rights rather than human welfare, electoral officials across the Southern states were more occupied with ensuring displaced citizens would be able to participate in the upcoming presidential election. This was happening even as life in many parts continues to be an everyday survival struggle.
In a demonstration of what seems like misplaced focus, Asheville’s officials claimed that the city’s water system had been critically damaged, warning of weeks required to repair it. The urgency seemed to be directed towards tourist interests rather than addressing the gravity of citizens’ deprivation of essential resources.
Government figures, aid organizations, and volunteers have been seen trying to shuttle supplies to the region by a multitude of ways, including aerial delivery, trucks, or mule-back. The county housing Asheville saw 40 deaths. North Carolina’s casualty figures bring grim narratives of victims caught in their homes or vehicles by fast-rising floodwaters or killed by falling trees.
The devastation uncovers horror stories – one includes a courthouse security officer who met a watery grave inside his vehicle. A family of three, hopelessly awaiting rescue on their rooftop, drowned when a portion of their house gave way below them. At the same time, rescuers did manage to pull out several survivors, including a baby and two others stranded atop a vehicle in Atlanta.
In a harrowing rescue mission, more than 50 hospital patients and staff were airlifted from their facility’s rooftop in Tennessee. This operation, no doubt, saved lives but also underlines the inadequacies in disaster management that forced such dramatic measures.
Hurricane Helene brought about the severest flooding North Carolina has seen in 100 years. Rainfall exceeded 61 centimeters in some areas since its onset on Wednesday, resulting in road washouts and blocked escape routes. This included a 6.4-kilometer section of the Interstate 40, significantly damaged during the event.
Essential resources were scarce. At an Ingles grocery store in Asheville, Elizabeth Teall-Fleming was among dozens trying to secure non-perishable food for her family. With power outages across the town, she looked to a camping stove for heating canned food.
Water, so essential to survival, was so scarce that one particular neighborhood saw residents collecting creek water in buckets just to flush their toilets. An exceptionally long queue for potable water was seen at Mountain Valley Water, all waiting to refill their jugs and containers.
Derek Farmer, who originally prepared for the storm, was visibly anxious after three waterless days. Despite his anticipatory actions, he realized the storm’s severity was beyond what many had expected. Hurricane Helene, despite its disastrous effects, had taken most by surprise.
Helene hit northern Florida as a Category 4 hurricane late that Thursday, but didn’t stop there. The storm carried on through the Southeast with a vengeance, leaving casualties in her wake in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia. In this bleak scenario, officials spoke of the long, arduous journey of rebuilding that lay ahead.
North Carolina’s Governor, Roy Cooper, took a flyover of the devastated Asheville region and was later spotted interacting with meal distribution workers. Rather stating the obvious, he pointed to the unprecedented storm response required – a fact that did little to reassure the affected populace.
Karen Brinson Bell, director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, held an emergency board meeting where she discussed the voting options for residents of severely affected regions. Given the widespread suffering, it was discomforting to see politics still taking center stage during these dire times.
In Georgia, election officials were already returning to work, despite power outages and infrastructure damage. Even in Lowndes County, the local board of elections was attempting to function with severely limited computing power.
The aftermath of Hurricane Helene paints a grim picture in many aspects. Not just for the devastation caused, but the response has left much to be desired. From response prioritization to disaster management, there is a clear imperative for a comprehensive reassessment.