00:00They need help. We have 10,000 residents in the town of Burnsville with no water and no possibility for water.
00:07The massive amount of rain that we got, but then at the same time, I think there are other things that have contributed to the destruction that resulted from the flood.
00:19We all know each other. Luckily, I have a lot of extended family that live here.
00:25In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Pensacola, a small community nestled in the mountains of North Carolina, is struggling to recover.
00:34One week after the devastating storm, residents find themselves in a state of isolation with no aid in sight.
00:42Homes have been reduced to rubble, streets submerged in mud, and the community is left wondering when or if help will arrive.
00:52Christy Edwards, a local homeowner, walks through the wreckage where her house once stood.
00:58She stares at the ruins, her voice a mix of disbelief and frustration.
01:03I do feel forgotten. The first few days, all we had was a case of water to feed and take care of people.
01:11So we all know each other. Luckily, I have a lot of extended family that live here.
01:17And so we just took care of each other. We received no help from anybody.
01:22The government has not come in here. We have not seen the first person from FEMA yet.
01:28We need the government in here now to help us.
01:34Winter is coming. It gets cold here. Next week, it's going to get down in the 40s.
01:40These people in these homes have no heat source other than power.
01:46It's a water treatment plant that joins this Cane River, has washed away, and they need help.
01:53We have 10,000 residents in the town of Burnsville with no water and no possibility for water.
01:59The storm unleashed unprecedented devastation across the community.
02:03Mobile homes were ripped from their foundations, churches left in tatters, and bridges split in half.
02:10Pensacola's once-tranquil Cane River became a raging force of destruction,
02:15leaving homes flooded and entire streets impassable.
02:20Cars lie buried in thick mud, and the remains of houses scatter the landscape.
02:25Yet, in the face of such widespread destruction, the community has received no official assistance.
02:32As the temperatures fall, the lack of aid has placed the community in a perilous position.
02:38Many houses are still without water, and with the storm having damaged critical infrastructure,
02:44survival through the colder months seems increasingly uncertain.
02:49Cindy King, a teacher and longtime resident of Pensacola,
02:53has taken on the role of caretaker for her father, Jerry Riddle,
02:57who is trying to salvage what he can from his destroyed home.
03:02King also echoed the frustrations of other residents,
03:05emphasizing how unprepared they feel in the face of such disaster.
03:31The climate change that we've experienced could be a factor in terms of the massive amount of rain that we got.
03:39But then at the same time, I think there are other things that have contributed to the destruction that resulted from the flood.
03:48As the floodwater recedes, the full scope of the destruction becomes more apparent with each passing day.
03:55Roads remain clogged with debris, and local construction crews are working tirelessly to restore access to the community.
04:02Despite their efforts, however, the pace of recovery has been agonizingly slow.
04:07For many, it feels as if they have been forgotten by the outside world.
04:12The hurricane has not only washed away homes, but also undermined the resilience of the people living in Pensacola.
04:19Their spirits, however, remain intact, rooted in the strong sense of community that defines this small town.
04:25Residents like Christy Edwards and Cindy King have stepped into leadership roles, offering comfort and guidance to those around them.
04:33But despite their determination, there is a growing sense of helplessness as they wait for outside support that may never come.
04:41The long-term economic toll of Haleen could be devastating for the region.
04:46Local businesses that depend on tourism, farming and small-scale manufacturing have been obliterated.
04:52The destruction of the water treatment plant alone represents a critical blow to the area's ability to rebuild.
04:58And without clean water, public health risks are expected to surge in the coming weeks.
Comments