Biden approves Disaster Declaration for 25 NC counties

NORTH CAROLINA ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — Federal assistance is on the way to 25 counties in North Carolina. Governor Cooper’s office announced President Biden approved a request for a Federal Major Disaster Declaration for damage caused by Helene.

The declaration means that FEMA will be able to send more help to North Carolina and provide Individual Assistance to people living in the designated counties. Local governments, state agencies, and non-profits or other eligible organizations will be reimbursed for funds on repair efforts.

“The people in western North Carolina are hurting from this devastating storm and we are all working to get resources to people as fast as we can,” Governor Cooper said. “We have deployed rescue teams, transportation crews, water, mobile kitchens and more. This is going to be a long-term recovery and this federal declaration will help us respond.”

The counties in the declaration are Alexander Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Officials say more counties could be added as response operations and assessments move forward. The declaration will also provide Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding for future efforts to limit the impacts of future storms.

This declaration is on top of the federal emergency declaration that was already in place before the impacts of Helene.

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