At least 81 people are still missing across North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the 81 people are missing in western part of the state weeks after Hurricane Helene slammed into southwestern states. He told reporters in a press conference: "The task force, law enforcement and other partners will continue working to locate those who are unaccounted for and I am thankful for their efforts."
Cooper added 77,000 individuals have applied for relief through the FEMA , who had paid $99 million and is paying for temporary housing for 1,900 people. It comes as federal disaster personnel have resumed door-to-door visits as part of their hurricane-recovery work in North Carolina, an effort temporarily suspended amid threats that prompted officials to condemn the spread of disinformation.
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Over the weekend, reports emerged that workers with the Federal Emergency Management Agency could be targeted by militia as the government responds to Hurricane Helene . A sheriff’s office said Monday that one man was arrested during an investigation, but that the suspect acted alone.
FEMA made operational changes to keep personnel safe “out of an abundance of caution,” agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said at a briefing Tuesday. FEMA workers were back in the field Monday, accompanied by Criswell, and she said disaster-assistance teams helping survivors apply for FEMA aid as well as state and local assistance will continue to go door-to-door. She emphasized that the agency isn’t going anywhere.
“The federal family has been here working side by side with the state since Day One. These are people who put their lives on hold to help those who have lost everything,” Criswell said. “So let me be clear. I take these threats seriously.”
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he directed the state’s Department of Public Safety to coordinate law enforcement assistance for FEMA and other responders. He stressed the damage that internet rumors and falsehoods were causing and said officials may never know how many people won’t apply for assistance because of bad information.
“There’s still a persistent and dangerous flow of misinformation about recovery efforts in western North Carolina that can lead to threats and intimidation, breeds confusion and demoralizes storm survivors and response workers alike,” Cooper said at the briefing. “If you’re participating in spreading this stuff, stop it. Whatever your aim is, the people you are really hurting are those in western North Carolina who need help.”
The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said it received a call Saturday about a man with an assault rifle who made a comment “about possibly harming” FEMA employees working in the hard-hit areas of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock in the North Carolina mountains. A man was charged with “going armed to the terror of the public,” a misdemeanor, and was released after posting bond.
The sheriff’s office said it received initial reports that a “truckload of militia” was involved in the threat, but further investigation determined the man acted alone.
FEMA has faced rampant disinformation about its response to Helene, which hit Florida on Sept. 26 before heading north and leaving a trail of destruction across six states.
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