In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the mountain town of Boone, North Carolina and surrounding rural areas faced severe flooding and landslides. Carolyn and Clifford Coffee, residents of Meat Camp, faced fears for their home’s safety. While their home survived, getting help into rural areas proved challenging due to damaged roads and lack of services. This highlighted the difficulties of recovery and rebuilding in remote mountain communities. Around Boone, damage to homes and infrastructure was being cleaned up, but more rural areas faced greater challenges with hundreds of inaccessible roads. Residents were left without power, water, and communication. Emergency services were overwhelmed the first day of the storm, with two people dead from landslides. The long road to recovery in these areas was compounded by the difficult terrain and scattered housing, making quick fixes impossible. While efforts were being made to provide necessities like water and meals, the economic impact on the area was expected to be significant. Calls for tourists to stay away were made to allow for recovery work to proceed. Longer-term mitigation efforts were seen as crucial for mountainous regions, but faced challenges such as cost and logistics. Despite the risks and challenges, some residents like Clifford Coffee were reluctant to leave their homes, despite the potential for future disasters.
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