Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., says her husband is likely one of the 1000’s of Individuals who’re stranded inside their houses with out energy and different necessities within the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Foxx stated she first returned to her district in North Carolina on Friday and has been shocked by the devastation. She stated her residence’s driveway was washed away, leaving her husband no solution to depart.
“I have been working day and night time making an attempt to assist constituents clear up the issues that they are going through. It’s actually exhausting to grasp the devastation that is occurred right here, until one drives round and sees it, which I’ve carried out,” Foxx informed Fox Information Digital.
“The quantity of rain that got here down, and what it did to rivers and streams and little creeks, is simply exhausting actually to think about, however I’ve seen it firsthand,” she added.
BIDEN GETS DEFENSIVE WHEN PUSHED ON WHO’S ‘COMMANDING’ HURRICANE HELENE RESPONSE
“Communications has been the most important problem. Lack of energy. Electrical energy is one other main, main problem. My very own husband is stranded. Our driveway washed away, and he has no energy, and hasn’t had energy since early Friday morning,” she stated.
TRUMP LAUNCHES GOFUNDME FOR HURRICANE HELENE VICTIMS, RAISES MORE THAN $1M
“A couple of folks have gotten energy again, however not many. I’ve 11 counties in my district. I’ve 5 particularly which have been severely impacted, with roads closed, no communications, deaths, and we do not even know the extent of that but. So it has been a reasonably powerful scenario right here,” she concluded.
Photographs of devastation have poured out of North Carolina and different states that had been in Helene’s path all through the week.
In Fairview, a suburb of Asheville hit exhausting by floodwaters and mudslides after the worst of Helene Friday morning, residents drove round grocery retailer parking tons asking others the place they bought water, gasoline and meals.
“They’re afraid. Individuals are getting on edge,” retired Asheville, North Carolina, police Officer Steve Antle informed Fox Information Digital. “They’ve already had folks performing some minor looting within the space. As a result of there is not any energy … so it is only a free-for-all at this level. There aren’t any site visitors indicators. There should not sufficient cops.”
As a result of lack of electrical energy and cell service, many locals are unable to speak to search out out the place these requirements are. Communication with family members and emergency personnel can also be spotty, and residents are counting on non permanent cell service towers which have been arrange in choose areas. However outdoors these areas, there may be nonetheless no service or roaming knowledge.
Fox Information’ Ashley Pappas and Audrey Conklin contributed to this report
