North Carolina Communities Rising From The Ruins Of Hurricane Helene

Authored by Allan Stein via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C.—North Carolina officials estimate that it will take many years, many hands, and up to $60 billion to recover from the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in late September 2024.

Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

In the historic village of Chimney Rock, located in the western part of the state, a dedicated army of volunteers has been providing much-needed assistance to the recovery effort at no cost.

“It hasn’t required much funding,” Shane Zoccole, founder and director of the South Carolina-based disaster relief nonprofit Spokes of Hope, said.

Zoccole told The Epoch Times that the recovery effort in Chimney Rock is primarily driven by volunteers.

“Chimney Rock is essential to the valley—it’s the commerce of this area,“ he said. ”We felt led to help the businesses, to help the people here, and to get this town to stay on the map instead of going off the map.”

Since October 2024, Zoccole has led more than 2,000 volunteers from various nonprofits willing to help without compensation.

Among the volunteers are hundreds of Amish and Mennonite people from Ohio and Pennsylvania who are ready to go the distance, he said.

“We eat breakfast by 8 a.m., work orders go out, we’re working by 8:30, and then we work until just about 6 p.m., when dinner is served,” Zoccole said.

“It’s been all the moving parts connecting with local business owners and volunteers across the nation.”

He said it has been a collaborative effort since the hurricane made a lasting impact on the landscape eight months ago.

Zoccole founded Spokes of Hope in 2018 after Hurricane Florence caused nine deaths and resulted in $2 billion in damages across South Carolina.

However, that was dwarfed by the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, he said.

Much of Chimney Rock, a village in western North Carolina’s Hickory Nut Gorge on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, was either damaged, destroyed, or buried under several feet of mud.

The bridge over the Rocky Broad River, leading to the state park near the village, collapsed in the rising floodwaters, which reached a height of 20 feet.

The ferocious wind, powerful currents, and heavy rain swept away several businesses along the river. All that remained were the concrete foundations.

Near the Bat Cave residential area, a ticket booth remained on its side, while the stately homes further upriver lay in ruins or exhibited heavy damage. Many homes that survived the torrent were no longer safe for habitation.

“Still here, still standing,” read a sign on a house that remained livable.

(Top) A ticket booth lies on its side near the center of Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 6, 2025. Hurricane Helene struck the southeastern United States in late September 2024, bringing catastrophic flooding to western North Carolina, East Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. (Bottom) A house that withstood Hurricane Helene displays a sign of hope in Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 6, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

Confronted with such devastation, Zoccole’s initial reaction was that using a bulldozer to clear the wreckage would be a more effective solution than implementing a reconstruction plan for the village.

Nonetheless, Zoccole and his relief volunteers refused to give up on the community.

“We have to go to the finish,” he said.

“If we don’t finish something that we’ve started, then we’ve [basically] told these people we’re only here part-time for you. We’re only here to help you a little bit.”

Members of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division arrived in early October 2024, armed with buckets and shovels to clear the knee-deep mud and allow other volunteers to begin repairs.

By early May, volunteers had removed tons of silt and debris from the water-damaged shops. They rebuilt several of them to code using donated and repurposed materials and equipment.

Although many shops remain closed for repairs, Chimney Rock Village no longer bears the worst scars from the hurricane.

Zoccole noted that considerable work remains, as the village business center plans to reopen this summer, possibly in June.

“Our success is in our unity. We’ve been able to pull together ahead of schedule,” he said.

A Storm Like No Other

Chimney Rock Village, located in Rutherford County, has a rural population of about 140 residents. It is one of the 39 counties in North Carolina designated as a critical disaster area following Hurricane Helene.

The hurricane struck Florida with winds of 140 mph on Sept. 26, 2024, before moving into North Carolina the next morning and causing severe rain, flooding, and deadly landslides across much of the western third of the state.

A welcome sign greets visitors to Chimney Rock Village, N.C., on May 6, 2025. The small Rutherford County town, home to about 140 residents, is one of 39 North Carolina counties designated a critical disaster area after Hurricane Helene. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

In certain regions, rainfall accumulation reached as much as 30 inches. The storm caused damage to, or destroyed, more than 73,000 homes, roads, and bridges across 6,900 sites, including the heavily trafficked Interstate 40.

The storm claimed more than 100 lives across the state and directly caused 176 deaths across the southeastern region, with seven residents still unaccounted for in North Carolina, according to federal government data.

One resident of Chimney Rock Village lost her life during the storm, which was deemed the worst since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

According to a revised North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management assessment, the estimated multi-year recovery costs are nearly $60 billion.

The report estimates the storm’s total economic impact at more than $16 billion, which includes $3 billion in direct damages to businesses, and more than $12 billion in lost revenue, excluding wages and income.

Then-North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper requested $3.9 billion from the General Assembly to support struggling communities. Of this total, $1.2 billion has already been allocated, with an additional $225 million set aside in reserve.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has designated $850 million for this initiative, which includes the deployment of 8,500 personnel for emergency response.

‘Nothing but Mud’

Erica Stafford, 40, is the head chef and kitchen manager at Lured Market and Grill near Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.

She said she has witnessed powerful storms and the death and economic havoc they leave behind, but Helene seemed to be far worse.

“Nobody expected it to be what it was,” Stafford said. “Even living here, I thought, ‘Well, there’ll be some flooding. We’re going to have a tree down. We’re going to be out of power.’ Nobody expected the amount of damage done.

“It was such a mess. I got down here, and it was nothing but mud.”

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