Communities
Two years after Helene, western North Carolina mountain towns are still digging out
A new survey finds most residents know someone still struggling emotionally or financially. Storm-hit counties added just 706 jobs in two years, a state report says.
Two years after Hurricane Helene tore through the southern Appalachians, many families in western North Carolina say the disaster never really ended.
"The story of a disaster doesn't end when the water goes down," said Amanda Rosa of Extreme Weather Survivors, which surveyed 300 people in the region ahead of the storm's anniversary. More than two-thirds said they know someone still struggling emotionally because of the storm, and about as many know someone still struggling financially.
A historic flood
Helene caused nearly $60 billion in damage in North Carolina, killed 107 people in the state, and damaged or destroyed 73,000 homes. A rain event ahead of the storm dropped 6 to 10 inches on the mountains starting Sept. 25, 2024, and Helene's remnants brought another 12 to 20 inches on Sept. 27.
Neighbors, not FEMA
In Marshall, a small Madison County town on the French Broad River, Gina Heath said 25 of the 27 homes on her street were damaged or destroyed. "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," she said.
Instead, neighbors shoveled mud and tore out drywall for one another, for months. Heath, a trauma support professional, said that work put paychecks on hold, and many helpers could not claim unemployment because they were not actively job hunting. In the survey, 61% said recovering from a disaster feels like a full-time job, and 65% know someone who lost a business, job or income.
Small businesses hanging on
Alex Webber, who moved to the mountains after surviving Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, owns a cafe and bicycle shop in downtown Marshall with her husband. They lost more than $200,000 in inventory and reopened thanks not to government aid or insurance, but to a GoFundMe. They still owe about $100,000 on equipment the flood destroyed, and depend on foot traffic that has been slow to return.
A long-term economic recovery plan released by Gov. Josh Stein's recovery office found that Helene-affected counties added only 706 jobs from 2023 to 2025. Had they grown at the pace of the rest of the state, they would have added 15,987.
The weather still frightens
Seventy percent of survey respondents said they grow anxious or afraid when high winds or heavy rain hit the region now. Memories of the storm remain traumatic for many, and each new storm forecast, including Tropical Storm Isaias on the Gulf Coast this week, can bring those feelings rushing back.
Residents who need help can reach the free, confidential Disaster Distress Helpline by calling or texting 1-800-985-5990.