North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein said he will continue to use all resources at his disposal to ensure residents affected by Hurricane Helena stay warm as winter storms sweep across the state — potentially affecting power grids and other critical infrastructure affected by the previous storm.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance for temporary accommodation will end Saturday for thousands of North Carolinians, some of whom are braving freezing temperatures in the Appalachian Mountain region this weekend.
“At our request, FEMA has extended temporary shelter assistance through Tuesday in light of the winter storm affecting western North Carolina,” Stein’s office confirmed to FOX Business.
Workers, community members and business owners clean up debris after Hurricane Helena in Marshall, NC on September 30, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
AMERICANS SPEND THANKSGIVING IN TENTS AS IT IS STILL DIFFICULT TO FIND HEAT, ELECTRICITY, FOOD
The Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA) program, which cannot be claimed and is granted only to survivors identified by FEMA in early October, was scheduled to end on Friday and was later pushed back to Saturday.
FEMA’s Local Disaster Recovery the centers will be closed until Monday, “due to winter weather”.
“I will continue to use every resource at my disposal to get people into safe and warm shelter,” said Governor Josh Stein.
North Carolinians began receiving letters on Jan. 3 notifying them that their hotel or motel rooms would no longer be covered, Fox News Digital reported. When eligibility expires, they are given a week’s notice to opt out.
HUNDREDS OF HOMES IN LA EXPECTED TO BURN IN FIRES
Thousands Survivors of Hurricane Helena continue to support the program in western North Carolina, following the September storm.
Heavy rains from Hurricane Helene caused record flooding and damage on September 28, 2024 in Asheville, NC (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
There are currently 5,600 households registered in hotelsaccording to FEMA.
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The agency said those with questions about eligibility should contact the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin and Brooke Singman contributed to this article.
