Hurricane Helene: 1,000 troops deployed to western North Carolina after devastating floods
The Department of Defense indicated that the military will deliver basic supplies and support logistics at distribution centers.
A local police car is seen half engulfed in mud, in a flooded area of Lake Lure, North Carolina, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene
This Wednesday the government announced the mobilization of up to 1,000 active-duty troops to assist in rescue and relief efforts in western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene caused devastating flooding. This is in addition to the hundreds of state National Guard members who have been working in the affected areas since the storm's passage.
Key support missions
The Defense Department reported that the soldiers will be tasked with delivering basic supplies to the hardest-hit communities and assisting with logistics at essential commodity distribution centers. They will also be responsible for removing debris and restoring roads affected by floods and landslides, which have left many roads in the mountainous area impassable.
"Their mission will include delivering support and commodities to impacted and isolated communities, assisting with supply point logistics at commodity staging locations, and removing debris from affected routes," stated the Department of Defense.
The mobilized soldiers are part of the XVIII Airborne Corps, based at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and include members of the 82nd Airborne Division, according to the Defense Department. They are expected to arrive in the western part of the state within the next 24 hours to bolster relief efforts in the hardest-hit areas.
Devastating aftermath
Hurricane Helene has left behind a trail of destruction that has taken the lives of more than a hundred people and severely affected the region's infrastructure.
Five days after Helene's passage, many areas of western North Carolina remain without power, drinking water or phone service. Flooding and landslides, along with downed trees, have blocked many roads, hampering rescue efforts and access to isolated communities.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation managed to reopen Interstate 40 East on Tuesday, but is still working to clear and repair local roads that are key to mobility in mountainous areas.
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