Helene's Unheard Warnings -- ProPublica

[erronis]

https://www.propublica.org/article/hurricane-helene-evacuation-warnings-yancey-county-north-carolina

This is such a moving and graphic presentation of what happened in a very hard hit area of North Carolina. Well worth reading and watching the graphics. Probable harbinger of what we will have throughout this country in the future.

As Hurricane Helene barrels toward Yancey County in North Carolina, the predictions are grim.

Communities along the Cane River in the Black Mountains are particularly vulnerable.

“This Shits Crazy”

In their last phone call before bed, Janicke Glynn tries to reassure her husband. He is away visiting a sick relative, and a Weather Channel forecast of Hurricane Helene’s imminent collision with the North Carolina mountains is leaving him uneasy. The storm, more than 400 miles wide, is expected to strike their small community the next morning, Sept. 27.

Janicke encourages him to focus on his family up in Boston. That is more important. She is fine. It’s been raining a lot, but the house is fine. Everything is fine. He’ll fly home tomorrow. She will see him then.

“Love you.”

. . .

[erronis]

1. The last paragraphs from this riveting story:

About a week later, the Hills are living at a friend’s house. Susie is grateful that Lucy can play with the family’s three young sons and keep her mind off things. The sadness of all they have lost subsides for a moment — and is quickly replaced by a new fear.

She and Brian live on public teachers’ salaries. They have 28 years left on their mortgage. Because their house isn’t in a flood zone, they don’t have flood insurance.

She gets a pause on their mortgage. But it’s only for three months. She can think of just one place to turn to next for the magnitude of help they need. On her cellphone, through the fog of trauma, she types in “FEMA.”