In the past week, Salem personally saw the effects of Hurricane Helene. The flash flood warning was issued Friday morning, and the river rose, flooding the Greenway and various other spots throughout the city. Trees and powerlines were damaged, leaving behind debris that closed several roads until Saturday afternoon. As some rain continued throughout the week, many remained wary that the saturated ground would flood again.
Up the East Coast, many communities have been left far worse. Helene made landfall in Florida on Thursday night as a category 4 hurricane. It made its way up the coast through states such as Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Alabama. Though Helene has dissipated, remaining fronts and rain have caused more flooding in saturated areas throughout the week. 20 tornadoes were also reported throughout the course of the storm in states affected.
As of Monday, reports say more than 130 are dead. A third of these were in North Carolina, where floods hit hard, particularly in the west. 40 died in Buncombe County, the county containing Asheville, alone. Electrical outages and limited internet made it difficult, in that moment, to get news in or out of affected areas. Hundreds were left unaccounted for for days.
Now, a week later, communities are still struggling and will continue to in the days ahead. Support and donations are welcome and needed. A few places accepting donations include The American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, United Way, GoFundMe, GlobalGiving, World Central Kitchen, All Hands And Hearts, Americares, Operation Blessing, Save The Children, and many more. To specifically help the hard-hit NC, consider the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund or BeLoved Asheville. If you’re financially unable to donate, the Red Cross is encouraging those who can to donate blood.
The bottom line is that there are many ways to support communities devastated by Helene, and now is the time to do so. I urge you to show your support as you’re able to, and keep those affected in mind.
Maggie Raker
CWLE Section Editor
