Tag Archives: Disaster Relief

FEMA to send Georgia more than $300 million in Hurricane Helene relief after accusations of delays

FEMA to send Georgia more than $300 million in Hurricane Helene relief after accusations of delays

ATLANTA (AP) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday announced it would send $350 million in funding to localities and electric cooperatives for relief efforts following Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby. The announcement comes two months after Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia released a report that nearly $500 million in Hurricane Helene disaster relief was unpaid.

Hurricane Helene swept across much of the Southeast in September 2024, devastating parts of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and other nearby states with high winds and heavy rains.

Warnock posted on the social platform X earlier this week that the amount of Hurricane Helene relief funds FEMA was withholding had climbed to $600 million. The money will reimburse efforts such as debris removal, road fixes and utility repairs.

“Hurricanes and natural disasters are not political; they do not care if you voted red or blue, and Georgia counties and cities went right to work recovering from Helene’s destruction with the understanding the federal government would fulfill its promises and pay their share,” said Warnock in a statement. “It should not have gotten to this point.”

Warnock said he would continue to push FEMA to deliver the additional funds. Last December, he led a bipartisan effort with a group of Georgia Congress members to send a letter to congressional leaders requesting at least $12 billion in federal supplemental disaster funding for Hurricane Helene. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp requested the aid shortly after the storm subsided.

Georgia farmers are also waiting on funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency and Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper announced in September that it would send $531 million to Georgia farmers. However, the aid amount wasn’t accompanied by a finalized agreement on how the state planned to disburse the block grant. Kemp announced Friday that the portal will open soon, once the USDA gives the program final approval.

Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba pick up the pieces after Melissa’s destruction

Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba pick up the pieces after Melissa’s destruction

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba (AP) — Communities across the northern Caribbean are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. In Jamaica, emergency relief efforts are underway as residents clear roads and assess damage. The storm has left many without homes, power or communication. Authorities have confirmed at least four deaths, and thousands remain in shelters. In Cuba, heavy equipment is clearing roads and the military is assisting isolated communities. No deaths have been reported there but significant damage has occurred. In Haiti, dozens were dead or missing after catastrophic flooding. The storm tied records for Atlantic hurricanes making landfall when it hit Jamaica.… Continue Reading

Government headed to a shutdown after last-ditch vote fails in Senate

Government headed to a shutdown after last-ditch vote fails in Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats have voted down a Republican bill to keep funding the government, putting it on a path to a shutdown after midnight Wednesday. The 55-45 vote Tuesday on the bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation. After the vote, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memo saying “affected agencies should now execute their plans for an orderly shutdown.” The action comes as Democrats are making good on their threat to close the government if President Donald Trump and Republicans won’t accede to their health care demands.… Continue Reading

Georgia farmers will get $531M in Hurricane Helene aid, but the deal’s not done yet

Georgia farmers will get $531M in Hurricane Helene aid, but the deal’s not done yet

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia farmers are still waiting for aid after Hurricane Helene, even as other states finalize agreements. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Georgia officials announced $531 million for Georgia farmers on Tuesday. However, unlike South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia, Georgia hasn’t completed an agreement on distributing the funds. Officials are still ironing out administrative details. The delays have frustrated farmers, who have faced financial stress and low crop prices. The September 2024 storm caused significant damage across several states, with Georgia’s poultry industry being a major target for additional aid.… Continue Reading

Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda threaten the Bahamas and Bermuda

Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda threaten the Bahamas and Bermuda

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Authorities in the Bahamas have closed a majority of schools following mandatory evacuations for some islands in the archipelago as Tropical Storm Imelda drops heavy rain and unleashes flooding in the northern Caribbean. A tropical storm warning was in effect Monday for parts of the northwestern Bahamas, including Eleuthera, the Abacos, Grand Bahama Island and the surrounding keys. Heavy rains also were forecast along the coastline of North and South Carolina. Meanwhile, Hurricane Humberto churned in open waters nearby, which forecasters said would cause Imelda to abruptly turn to the east-northeast, away from the southeastern United States coast.… Continue Reading

Hurricane Helene hit the reset button on one town’s goal of becoming an outdoor tourism mecca

Hurricane Helene hit the reset button on one town’s goal of becoming an outdoor tourism mecca

OLD FORT, N.C. (AP) — The mountain “gateway” town of Old Fort, North Carolina, was well on its way to achieving a major goal: to become a hot spot for mountain biking and all things outdoors. Then nature, as one business owner put it, hit “the reset button.” A year ago, floodwaters from the remnants of Hurricane Helene inundated the town, washing out miles of multi-purpose trails and closing long stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a tourist lifeline. Chad Schoenauer has reopened his Old Fort Bike Shop, but he’s doing more repairs than sales these days. Tourism spending last year was way off in the mountains, but many are hoping for a successful fall foliage season to hit the reset button again.… Continue Reading

One year later, western North Carolina still recovers from Hurricane Helene

One year later, western North Carolina still recovers from Hurricane Helene

SPRUCE PINE, N.C. (NCN News) – One year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, recovery continues across the mountains. The storm killed 108 people, caused more than 2,000 landslides and left businesses, roads and communities in ruins. While many restaurants, farms and attractions are reopening, most small businesses still have not returned to pre-Helene revenues. State officials say bipartisan support has brought new funding and infrastructure repairs, but rebuilding remains a long-term effort.… Continue Reading

On North Carolina’s rivers and streams, the cleanup of Helene’s fury seems never-ending

On North Carolina’s rivers and streams, the cleanup of Helene’s fury seems never-ending

WOODFIN, N.C. (AP) — It’s been only a year since Hurricane Helene hammered the southeast U.S. from Florida to the Carolinas. Some of the heaviest damage came from flooding in the North Carolina mountains, where some 30 inches of rain turned gentle streams into walls of water that swept away anything in their path. The worst wreckage has been cleared away, but cleanup crews are still at work plucking smaller debris from waterways throughout the region. In the understandable haste to rescue people and restore their lives to some semblance of normalcy, some fear the recovery efforts compounded Helene’s impact on the ecosystem. Contractors hired to remove vehicles, shipping containers, shattered houses and other large debris from waterways sometimes damaged sensitive habitat.… Continue Reading

Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina a year ago. Some students never returned to school

Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina a year ago. Some students never returned to school

SWANNANOA, N.C. (AP) — Thousands of students across western North Carolina lost their homes a year ago when Helene hit with some of the most vicious floods, landslides and wind ever seen in the mountainous region. Helene damaged more than 73,000 homes. The homeless student population surged, doubling in some places and even increasing fourfold in one county. Across the state, more than 2,500 students were identified as homeless as a direct result of Helene, according to state data obtained by The Associated Press. Storm debris has mostly been cleared away in some places, but the impact of the displacement lingers for students.… Continue Reading

Trump approves federal disaster aid for storms and flooding in 6 states

Trump approves federal disaster aid for storms and flooding in 6 states

President Donald Trump has approved federal disaster aid for six states and tribes following storms and floods this spring and summer. The disaster declarations, announced Thursday, will provide federal funding to Kansas, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, as well as tribes in Montana and South Dakota. In most cases, it took Trump over a month to approve the aid requests, continuing a trend of longer waits for disaster relief. An Associated Press analysis shows delays in approving federal disaster aid have grown over time. The White House says Trump is providing a more thorough review of requests.… Continue Reading

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