In the aftermath of Helene, residents of western North Carolina are grappling with ongoing struggles two years after the storm’s devastation. A recent survey highlights the persistent emotional and financial challenges faced by the community, revealing the long shadow cast by the disaster.
A survey conducted by Extreme Weather Survivors indicates that over 66% of the 300 participants know someone enduring emotional distress from the storm, while a similar percentage report financial hardships affecting their acquaintances. Amanda Rosa, the group’s director of outreach and advocacy, remarked, “The story of a disaster doesn’t end when the water goes down,” during a press call.
Helene inflicted nearly $60 billion in damages and claimed 107 lives across North Carolina, with 73,000 homes either damaged or destroyed. The storm’s initial impact hit on September 25, with rainfall reaching up to 10 inches by September 27. The National Weather Service reported that the remnants of the tropical storm brought an additional 12 to 20 inches of rain, intensifying the devastation.
Recovering feels like full-time job
Marshall resident Gina Heath voiced her dissatisfaction with the inadequate disaster relief efforts, highlighting that 25 out of 27 homes on her street suffered damage or were destroyed. Heath shared, “No one on my street got a FEMA trailer. No one got a significant amount to completely renovate a shell of a home and make it livable again, or to build from scratch as so many neighbors needed to do.”
Community members rallied to support each other, undertaking tasks such as removing mud and replacing drywall. However, 61% of EWS survey respondents likened recovery efforts to a full-time job. The financial toll was exacerbated by difficulties in claiming unemployment benefits while assisting neighbors, as Heath, a trauma support professional, experienced.
The survey revealed that 65% of respondents knew someone who lost a business, job, or income due to Helene. A long-term economic recovery plan by Gov. Josh Stein noted that the affected counties only added 706 jobs between 2023 and 2025, significantly fewer than the 15,987 jobs projected had they grown at the state’s average rate.
Lingering trauma
The emotional scars from the storm remain fresh for many. The EWS poll found that 70% of western North Carolina residents experience anxiety when faced with severe weather conditions. Alex Webber, who relocated from New Orleans post-Katrina, was particularly affected, losing over $200,000 in inventory. Her business’s revival was made possible through GoFundMe rather than governmental or insurance aid.
Despite reopening, Webber’s financial burdens persist, with $100,000 still owed on lost equipment. She expressed concern about her future, stating, “I don’t know how it’s going to work. It’s worrisome. It is very worrisome, and yeah, the recovery takes years.”
Loss of trust in government
The aftermath of Helene saw a politicized response, with the storm coinciding with the 2024 election season. Survey results show that 60% of residents felt abandoned by the government, and 58% expressed distrust in governmental disaster responses.
Gina Heath’s experience with FEMA exemplifies the frustration and mistrust. Her family’s repeated attempts to file for rental assistance were thwarted by lost paperwork, culminating in a denied claim after eight months of effort. “Finally, after about eight months, they said you’re denied, and we didn’t even feel like appealing anymore at that point,” Heath recounted.
