Tropical Storm Archives - Page 2 of 7

Federal money to help states hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton nears $2 billion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says the federal government has approved nearly $2 billion in assistance across six states to help people hit hard by hurricanes Helene and Milton. The federal government has been under intense pressure to show that it is getting help to areas devastated by the back-to-back hurricanes in late September and early October as it warns that more money will be needed to fund the response. According to a White House release issued Wednesday, about $911 million has gone toward damage caused by Hurricane Helene, while about $620 million has gone toward recovery from Hurricane Milton. Other funds have gone toward things like agriculture assistance.… Continue Reading

Many schools are still closed weeks after Hurricane Helene. Teachers worry about long-term impact

Tens of thousands of students in the Southeast are dealing with school disruptions after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc so severe — on homes, campuses and municipal power and water systems — that some districts have no idea when they will reopen. While virtual learning helped during the COVID-19 school closures, that has not been an option for this crisis because internet and cellphone service has remained spotty since the storm struck in late September. In hard-hit western North Carolina, some districts warn students will miss up to a month of school, and others say they can’t yet determine a timeline for returning to classrooms.… Continue Reading

FEMA resumes door-to-door visits in North Carolina after threats tied to disinformation

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Officials say federal disaster workers have resumed door-to-door visits as part of hurricane recovery efforts in North Carolina. The visits were temporarily suspended after reports emerged over the weekend that Federal Emergency Management Agency employees could be targeted by a militia members. The government response to Hurricane Helene has become a rampant subject of disinformation. A sheriff’s office says one man was arrested in connection with the investigation into threats, but that suspect acted alone. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell says the agency isn’t going anywhere. She and Gov. Roy Cooper called on people to stop spreading falsehoods about the recovery efforts so that people who need help can get it.… Continue Reading

Small business disaster loan program is out of money until Congress approves new funds

NEW YORK (AP) — The Small Business Administration has run out of money for its disaster assistance loans, delaying much needed relief for people applying for aid in the wake of the destruction caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to businesses and people affected by disasters. The organization said earlier this month that it expected to soon run out of funding. Congress can approve more funds, but doesn’t reconvene until after the election. The SBA is pausing new loan offers until it gets more funding. SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman said people should keep applying for the loans, however.… Continue Reading

FEMA workers change some hurricane-recovery efforts in North Carolina after receiving threats

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Officials say federal disaster workers paused and then changed some of their hurricane-recovery efforts in North Carolina, including abandoning door-to-door visits, after receiving threats. The threats that they could be targeted by a militia emerged over the weekend, at a time when the government response to Helene is being targeted by rampant disinformation. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said it received a call about a man with an assault rifle who commented about possibly harming employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency working in the hard-hit areas of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, in the North Carolina mountains. The man was later arrested charged with a misdemeanor.… Continue Reading

FACT FOCUS: A look at the false information around Hurricanes Helene and Milton

The devastation around Hurricanes Helene and Milton has been complicated further by false and misleading information, much of it politically motivated. Misinformation around the Federal Emergency Management Agency, some of which claimed land would be seized and bulldozed in North Carolina, and claims that state and local governments were failing to address the situation were spread by GOP candidates, including former President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden and other federal officials have criticized Trump and others for spreading disinformation around the hurricanes.… Continue Reading

Volunteers bring solar power to Hurricane Helene’s disaster zone

BAKERSVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Helene downed power lines and washed out roads all over North Carolina’s mountains, the roar of gas-powered generators is both unpleasant and essential. More than 43,000 of the 1.5 million customers who lost power in the region still lacked electricity on Friday. Without it, they can’t keep medicines cold, pump well water, recharge their phones or apply for federal disaster aid. Crews from all over are helping Duke Energy make repairs, but it’s slow going in the dense mountain forests. One nonprofit that is helping is the Footprint Project, which is scaling up to supply solar-powered mobile infrastructure, from batteries and small generators to solar grids.… Continue Reading

Determination to rebuild follows Florida’s hurricanes with acceptance that storms will come again

VENICE, Fla. (AP) — The devastation of Hurricanes Helene and Milton is still being tallied as a swath of Florida comes to terms with damage from the unusual dual strike of storms in such close proximity. Some longtime Floridians have grown accustomed to the annual cycle of storms that can shatter and upend lives in a state known mostly for its balmy weather, sunshine and beaches. Some say it’s the price of living in paradise. President Joe Biden planned to visit the Gulf Coast on Sunday. Many residents spent much of Saturday searching for gas as a fuel shortage gripped the state.… Continue Reading

Floridians cleaning up from Hurricane Milton are hampered by a widespread fuel shortage

CORTEZ, Fla. (AP) — Many Floridians spent much of Saturday either waiting hours in line for gas, trying to get home or beginning the arduous work of cleaning up after Hurricane Milton. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Saturday several fuel depots where residents could get 10 gallons of gas for free were set to open. Officials were also using state fuel stockpiles to replenish area gas stations. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden approved a disaster declaration for the state and will Florida on Sunday to assess the damage. Moody’s Analytics estimates economic costs from the storm will range from $50 billion to $85 billion.… Continue Reading

North Carolina governor signs Hurricane Helene relief bill

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has signed the state’s first relief package to address Hurricane Helene’s devastation. The bill signed Thursday allocates $273 million for immediate needs and gives flexibility to agencies and displaced residents in western counties. The Republican-dominated legislature approved the measure unanimously the day before. Nearly all the money will be used to meet the federal government’s match for state and local disaster assistance programs. Other provisions help nutrition workers in closed schools. The money is coming from the state’s large savings reserve. The bill also changes how upcoming elections are conducted in 25 counties. More Helene relief legislation could advance in two weeks.… Continue Reading