Aftermath of Hurricane Helene Causes North Carolina Residents to Use Mule Trains to Deliver Supplies

Mar. 15, 2025

aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina.Photo:Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

According to theAssociated PressandThe Washington Times, mules have been one resource used to transport supplies to the cityhome to over 90,000 individuals.

Each of the pack animals can carry 200 pounds of supplies, volunteer Mark Toberer told theAssociated Press. Toberer’s dozen mules will bring food, water, diapers and supplies to hard-hit mountainous areas.

aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina.Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty

Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty

Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer toldCNBCon Monday, “Three out of four major highways into the city are blocked due to landslides or washouts,” making it “challenging” for help to arrive.

“We are still waiting for the majority of what we need, being water and food. That is a challenge to get those resources in here and we’re desperately in need of that and waiting for that,” Manheimer said.

According to the city of Asheville’swebsite, the hurricane “severely damaged the production and distribution system of the City of Asheville’s water system.”

“Extensive repairs are required to treatment facilities, underground and aboveground water pipes, and to roads that have washed away which are preventing water personnel from accessing parts of the system. Although providing a precise timeline is impossible, it is important to note that restoring service to the full system could potentially take weeks,” an alert on the city’s website reads.

Speaking further about how the hurricane impacted the city, Manheimer told CNBC that “pictures don’t wholly capture the catastrophic damage.”

“It’s unprecedented. It’s exceeded any historic storm on record. But we’ve had the combination of incredible flooding and also damage due to winds, down trees. No neighborhood has been spared. The power and water is out and we’re entering a desperate situation,” said Manheimer.

During a briefing on Monday, Sept. 30, Buncombe County officials confirmed thatthe death toll in the county, which Asheville is a part of, has risen to 40.The total death tollacross North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee is over 100.

President Joe Biden isscheduled to travel to North Carolina on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and will go on an aerial tour of Asheville, per the Associated Press.

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Find out how you can help the victims of Hurricane Helenehere.

source: people.com