NORTH CAROLINA, USA — After nearly a week of emergency response missions in Florida, the Louisiana-based United Cajun Navy is shifting focus.
“The situation in Western North Carolina is still very dire, still a lot of missing people. There’s still a lot of people cut off from supplies. It is getting better,” said United Cajun Navy Vice President Brian Trascher.
Trascher says disaster response from Hurricane Milton has been so efficient, the relief organization will break down some operations. They’ll be directed to needs from Hurricane Helene almost two and a half weeks ago.
“There’s still a lot of people that are desperate for help and I think they’re afraid of falling off the headlines with Milton and with the election coming up and everything,” said Trascher.
As of Tuesday, nearly a hundred people in North Carolina were confirmed dead as a direct result of Hurricane Helene. Nearly a hundred others were missing.
Power, infrastructure, and supplies were still lacking. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said the response has been swift, but the need has been massive.
“The road to recovery will be long and we will be with Western North Carolina every step of the way,” said Gov. Cooper.
Those steps are made easier thanks to strangers. Crews from Tangipahoa Parish Government delivered a truckload of supplies to Asheville. With homes and communities wiped away, needs are increasing.
“We’ve seen a shift from the type of comedies that were the focus two weeks ago, food and water, and are now moving into more of that cold weather gear,” said North Carolina Director of Emergency Management William Ray.
The change in weather is another reason the United Cajun Navy is focusing on North Carolina.
“We’re sending a lot of winter coats and blankets because it’s about to get cold out there and people still don’t have power,” said Trascher. “They need generators, they need propane, kerosene, anything to create electricity and heat.”
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