The official death toll from Hurricane Helene has risen to 227 across six states, with approximately half of the fatalities occurring in North Carolina. However, reports from the ground indicate that the true scope of the devastation may be far greater than officially acknowledged. Local sources claim that many bodies remain unaccounted for, leading to desperate measures as some families are forced to bury their loved ones in their yards.
“It’s so much worse than they’re saying,” one resident in Asheville remarked to The Spectator. “I think there’s a massive cover-up” regarding the extent of the storm’s impact. A former federal official corroborated these concerns, stating that many deaths are likely being underreported due to overwhelmed morgues and unidentified bodies being transported around the state. “All the morgues are full, and they’ve hauled a ton [of bodies] to Greensboro,” the official explained.
Local officials and citizens alike have expressed frustration over the slow response from both state and federal authorities. General Major Todd Hunt, director of the North Carolina National Guard, has faced particular criticism for the delayed activation of troops. While 5,500 National Guardsmen were deployed after the storm, only 500 were from North Carolina. “That’s why you saw the Florida National Guard and other units out there — and why private citizens stepped in,” a source familiar with the situation explained.
Critics have highlighted the allocation of substantial resources to support migrants, raising concerns about the adequacy of federal disaster relief. “I went to ten different counties… FEMA was very limited, mostly to local and state agency resources,” noted one North Carolina official.
As the recovery efforts continue, many residents are left grappling with their government’s perceived failure to protect and support them during this catastrophic event. The growing sense of anger and frustration among North Carolinians signals a pressing need for accountability and reassessment of disaster response priorities in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
