Resilient Watauga County communities band together during storm recovery

WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – In the face of adversity following a catastrophic and deadly storm that left a path of destruction in its wake, determined residents in Watauga County are working hard to lift each other up and rebuild in the most reslitent way they know.

Queen City News has been in Boone this week witnessing and capturing some of those images.

Samaritan’s Purse, Watauga High School students along with other members of the community helped sort and hand out aid this week to residents in need of clean water and other supplies.

QCN also observed US Foods donating supplies. The food distributor said restaurants both big and small have been severely impacted and that US Foods has raised almost $1 million in less than a week for supplies in this area.

As of Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, there are 89 verified storm-related deaths in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene, officials announced.

As of Tuesday evening, NCDOT has reported it has hundreds of crew members in Western North Carolina who have continued to dig whole neighborhood roads out of the dirt left behind by Tropical Storm Helene.

Students at Appalachian State University will return to classes next week, the school announced Tuesday.

Interim Chancellor Heather Norris said in a letter to the campus community that after discussions with local officials, they can “thoughtfully, responsibly and respectfully” resume classes on Wednesday, Oct. 16. The date is after the university’s fall break and three weeks after Hurricane Helene brought record rains and devastation to the region.

The schools in the area have also been affected and remain closed through October 11th.

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