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Tag: Jennifer Gamertsfelder

  • How to request help locating a missing person during Helene recovery

    How to request help locating a missing person during Helene recovery

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    At least 600 people are missing after storms from Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding in western North Carolina, washing away businesses, roads and homes, according to officials.

    Communities in the North Carolina mountains lost power, communication services and a way out due to blocked, broken and flooded roads. Families in North Carolina are desperate to reach their friends and loved ones.

    Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin E. Miller confirmed 35 people in Buncombe County died in connection with Helene. County officials said they have received 11,000 requests from people trying to get in touch with loved ones.

    Over the weekend, Buncombe County officials said at least 600 people were still missing. Most people cannot be reached because of spotty service. 

    “Our goal is to try and get more volunteers to help knock on doors to those who need it,” Buncombe County officials said. 

    There are several ways to request assistance with a missing person. 

    North Carolina Department of Public Safety

    The public may call 211 to report a missing person or to request a welfare check.

    “Please note that 211 is not an emergency processing resource and any emergencies should be routed to 911,” NCDPS said. 

    Click here for more resources from NCDPS.

    American Red Cross

    The Red Cross may be able to help connect with a missing person if the person meets the following criteria, according to the National Guard:

    • They are elderly, have a functional or access need, suffer from a medical or mental condition, or has difficulty understanding English
    • They are a member of the military community
    • They lived in the same home as you prior to the disaster or you have been in contact with them within the past year 
    • Please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), select disaster and provide as much detail as you can to assist in potentially locating your missing loved one


    The National Guard recommends contacting local emergency officials for well-checks, since they will be the ones performing them. Other ways to get in touch with loved ones, according to recommendations from the National Guard, are: 

    • Sending a text message, which may go through when phone calls cannot
    • Check your loved one’s social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), as they may have already gone online to tell their story
    • Send an email
    • Call friends and relatives who may have already been in contact with your loved one
    • Call people and places where your loved one is well-known; neighbors, employer, school, place of worship, senior center, social club/center, union, or fraternal organization

    Click here for more help with finding a loved one with the help of American Red Cross. 

    Related article: Recovering from Helene: Shelters, resources and closings

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    Jennifer Gamertsfelder

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  • Over 550,000 power outages, Morganton to be without electricity for days

    Over 550,000 power outages, Morganton to be without electricity for days

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    More than 550,000 customers were without power Sunday morning in North Carolina because of Helene’s impacts. Among the areas hit hardest in western North Carolina was the city of Morganton.  

    Duke Energy informed the city Saturday that its substations were underwater and they “estimate that power will remain off for another 3-5 days.”


    At least two people have died in conditions related to Helene, hundreds of roads are blocked by floodwater or downed trees, and rivers continue to rise, state officials said Friday. 

    A 4-year-old in Catawba County died in a crash on a flooded road and a Charlotte resident was killed when a tree fell on their home, Gov. Roy Cooper said.

    Buncombe County officials said Saturday they didn’t have an official fatality count to share with the public.

    Heavy rains caused flash floods, especially in western North Carolina on Friday. Cooper said over 100 rescues have happened and more are expected in coming days as rivers continue to rise.

    The vast majority of power outages were in the western part of the state, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us.

    Residents in western North Carolina were urged not to go out, to visit drivenc.gov for updates on roadways and not to drive through floodwaters, the governor said.

    Emergency management officials said 290 roads across the state are closed due to flooding, mudslides or other hazards. Officials asked residents to stay at home to let rescuers and utility workers be the only ones driving on the roads.

    Multiple shelters have been opened across western North Carolina for those who need to evacuate. 

    The Biden administration on Thursday approved a disaster declaration for North Carolina, making federal resources available to recover after the storm.

    Residents across the state are asked to stay informed of local forecasts and warnings and to take the following steps to ensure they are prepared.

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    Jennifer Gamertsfelder

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  • Residents below Lake Lure dam told to evacuate immediately

    Residents below Lake Lure dam told to evacuate immediately

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    Flooding from Helene forced evacuation orders in western North Carolina Friday morning. 

    In Rutherford County, residents down river of Lake Lure dam have been told to “evacuate to higher ground immediately!!” Dam failure was imminent, according to a post from the county’s emergency management officials.

    The county says water is already overtopping the dam, and anyone who lives below the dam needs to evacuate to higher ground immediately.

    Evacuations are also underway for parts of Charlotte, Asheville and McDowell and Haywood counties. 

    In Charlotte, officials ordered people on Riverside Drive, along the Catawba River, to evacuate as floodwaters rise.


    In Asheville, Buncombe County issued a mandatory evacuation order at 6:30 a.m. for people along the Swannanoa River, starting at the North Fork Reservoir. Water at the reservoir has gone over the spillway, officials said.

    “What we are seeing is unlike anyone alive has seen in Buncombe County,” Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder told reporters Friday morning. “Our rivers have not yet crested. This emergency will get worse.”

     

    Buncombe County also ordered evacuations in Black Mountain.

    “Due to flooding of a lake with a dam at Camp Ridgecrest for Girls, a mandatory evacuation order is in effect for 105 Balsam Road from the camp south to Highway 70 in Black Mountain,” emergency officials said.

    Emergency officials warned that the flooding in Buncombe County will continue after Friday until the rivers crest.

    “It’s going to reach above any record levels we’ve ever had,” said Ryan Cole, with Buncombe County Emergency Services. He said there had been more than 50 water rescues so far during the storm.

    He also warned that the county was getting 911 calls that it could not respond to because they are too busy and emergency workers cannot reach some areas.

    Officials also reported a mudslide on Tunnel Road in Asheville.



    “Do not delay – take action to protect your loved ones. We understand that evacuation can be challenging, but the safety of our residents is our top priority. We urge everyone in the affected areas to take this order seriously and evacuate as soon as possible. If you can’t, emergency personnel will help you,” said Pinder. 


    “All residents in the following areas are required to evacuate,” the county said: “Individuals between North Fork Road to Old 70, following the Swannanoa River all the way to Biltmore Village should evacuate.”

    That includes: North Fork Road south to Highway 70; Highway 70 west to Old Farm School Road; Old Farm School to Azalea Road; Azalea Road to Swannanoa River Road; and Swannanoa River Road to Biltmore Village.


    Helene made landfall Thursday night along the Big Bend coast of Florida as a Category 4 storm. The storm is now weakening as it tracks to the north, bringing flooding rain, strong wind gusts and the threat for tornadoes to North Carolina.

    Haywood County Emergency Services reported flash flooding in Cruso, Clyde, Canton and low-lying areas in Waynesville early Friday morning, along with road closures, water rescues and flooded homes. Those areas saw devastating flooding three years ago during Tropical Storm Fred.

    “Flood waters are extremely dangerous. Getting caught up in floods may result in injury or death. LEAVE NOW. Climb to higher ground. Do not drive through water,” emergency workers warned.

    A mandatory evacuation was issued for Bungalow Drive off of Garden Creek Road in Marion at 4:30 a.m. Friday.

    “Please move to higher ground immediately!” McDowell County EMS posted on Facebook. 

    Flooding started in parts of the mountains of western North Carolina Wednesday afternoon. Up to 18 inches of rainfall is expected in some communities. 

    Related article: Helene brings potential for catastrophic flooding and tornadoes to North Carolina

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    Jennifer Gamertsfelder

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  • Cleanup begins after tornadoes, flooding hit North Carolina from Debby

    Cleanup begins after tornadoes, flooding hit North Carolina from Debby

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    Tropical Storm Debby brought flooding and a flurry of tornadoes to the state over Wednesday and Thursday. 

    Ten tornadoes, ranging in strength from EF0 to EF3, have been confirmed by the National Weather Service.

    Two people died in storms from Debby in North Carolina.

    A 60-year-old man died in Wilson County Thursday when a house collapsed in a tornado, officials said. A 78-year-old woman died when a tree fell on a mobile home in Rockingham County Thursday.

    A National Weather Service survey crew assessed damage in Lucama, in Wilson County, that is consistent with an EF3 tornado with 140 mph winds. In addition to the deadly house collapse, that tornado damaged three other houses, a school and a church.

    A tornado in Pender County is believed to have crossed over into Samspon County, where a roof was ripped off a home. 

    From Tuesday to Thursday, 86 tornado warnings were issued across North Carolina.

    86 tornado warnings were issued across North Carolina between Tuesday and Thursday. (Spectrum News 1)

    The warnings were primarily focused on the state’s coastal and central areas, but much of the state experienced heavy rain and flooding.

    Over three days, Wilmington received nearly 10 inches of rain, Shallotte received just over 11 inches and Cary received 6.85 inches.

    Several rivers are at moderate to major flood stage to close out the weekend, prompting a plethora of river flood warnings.

    Related article: River flooding concerns due to Debby continue through the weekend

    Saturated grounds could still cause trees to fall, leading to more damage, roadblocks and power outages. 

    “Never drive around barricades. They’re there to protect you and it’s also against the law to do so,” Secretary of Transportation Joey Hopkins said in a press conference Friday. 

    Transportation officials are working with power companies to reopen roads around the state once they are deemed safe. 

    As recovery efforts pick up, Attorney General Jeff Stein urged residents to beware of scams. “If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is,” Stein said.

    There have been 13 complaints of price-gouging so far, Stein said, and they are being investigated. The reports involve gas, groceries, hotel rooms and rental cars. “If we conclude that there has been price gouging, we will act aggressively,” Stein said.

    Related article: Things to know: What to do after a damaging storm hits your area

    As far as the post-tropical storm’s track, Debby is set to move over the northeast U.S. before making its way to eastern Canada by Saturday. 


     

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • N.C. woman who stood behind Trump at Pennsylvania rally is in Charlotte

    N.C. woman who stood behind Trump at Pennsylvania rally is in Charlotte

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    There was a look of confusion on supporters’ faces as shots rang out at Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Many dropped to the ground as reality set in. The former president was shot in the ear in an assassination attempt.

    Boone, North Carolina, resident Renee White says she was directly behind Trump during the attack. “At his right-hand shoulder,” White said, to be exact. 

    “It was very surreal. Very kind of crazy, like I said, kind of like an out-of-body experience,” White said, describing the moments the would-be assassin fired his gun at the Pennsylvania rally. 

    “Everything was happening like so fast, and I didn’t, a lot of people went down around me,” White said, “and I kind of stayed up, was kind of watching everything, watching what was going on around me.”

    White was lined up early Wednesday morning outside the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, where Trump is expected to speak at 6 p.m.

    Known as the “Tiffany blue girl,” White was donning the same blue “Make America Great Again” hat that she wore at the rally in Pennsylvania, and at some of the 33 other Trump rallies she attended before that.

    Renee White (Spectrum News 1/Claudia Puente)

    White initially wasn’t planning to go to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but changed her mind, saying she felt she needed to be there after her experience in Pennsylvania. She also attended the rally that followed in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

    “A lot of people had asked if, you know, I would go back to a rally or not. Well, of course I will, of course I will. I love it. Something about it,” she said.

    The Charlotte rally comes less than a week after Trump accepted the presidential nomination at the RNC, and just days after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race. 

    Biden officially dropped out of the race on Sunday. Vice President Kamala Harris, endorsed by Biden, is the front-runner to become the next Democratic nominee.

    Harris visited North Carolina last week as Biden was home recovering from COVID-19. 

    Top Biden campaign officials have set their sights on North Carolina as a possible pickup opportunity after Trump won the state by around 1% in 2020.

    Aerial photo of the Butler Farm Show, site of the Saturday, July 13, 2024, Trump campaign rally where former President Donald Trump was shot, shown Monday, July 15, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

    Wednesday’s campaign event is Trump’s second rally since the assassination attempt against him and his first since Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned. 

    Cheatle faced calls to resign as many questioned how a gunman was able to get so close to Trump at the outdoor event in Pennsylvania. Officials say a man armed with an AR-style rifle fired from a nearby rooftop. 

    Cheatle, who served as Secret Service director since August 2022, said she took “full responsibility for the security lapse,” the Associated Press reports. 

    A former fire chief attending the rally with family was killed, the Associated Press reports, as was the gunman. Two other people were critically hurt.

    The Charlotte rally will be held at an indoor arena, and security is expected to be top of mind. 

     

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    Jennifer Gamertsfelder

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