Hurricane Helene caused severe destruction around Asheville, North Carolina, raising questions about its impact on the upcoming election. As the city slowly recovers from floods and landslides, with some infrastructure restored but no running drinking water yet, local businesses begin reopening. Despite the traumatic aftermath, residents express gratitude for community support and federal aid. Mayor Barbara Volk emphasizes the importance of collaboration during recovery, noting that while the disaster has temporarily overshadowed election concerns, people’s political focuses may shift as they rebuild together.
Hurricane ‘Helene’ has caused extensive devastation around Asheville, North Carolina. Crisis management became a focal point in the election campaign—will this disaster impact the vote?
Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’s vice-presidential candidate, made a final campaign stop in Asheville. Addressing the crowd, he declared, “It’s great to be back and wonderful to see Asheville recovering.”
In reality, the mountain city is slowly healing from the floods and landslides. A month after Hurricane ‘Helene’, while cell service is fully restored and power has returned, the tap water is still undrinkable. At least there is water for showering, washing, and flushing toilets, and some restaurants have started reopening.
Storm ‘Helene’ swept through the southeastern U.S., resulting in fatalities across several states.
Traumatic Experiences from Helene
Rick Brooks, manager of ‘Jetti Rae’, expresses relief that his restaurant is bustling again. A large water tank behind the building is refilled every evening by a truck. “The neighbors have really come together,” he remarks.
Lauren Few is thankful to be able to go out again after the traumatic events caused by ‘Helene’. The flooding, mud, and storm have nearly destroyed the entire ‘River Art District’, a creative neighborhood filled with studios, galleries, shops, and cafes.
President Biden and Vice President Harris have pledged assistance.
‘It Looks Like a War Zone’
“I don’t know how to describe it otherwise: it looks like a war zone,” Few says. Her favorite bar has been reduced to rubble, and her hairdresser will never reopen. Her beloved cinema is likely permanently closed. Even now, seeing the full extent of the destruction is jarring, she notes.
Fortunately, Few’s home sustained minimal damage, and no one in her family or friend circle lost their lives. As a trained psychologist, she reflects on the city’s mood:
Hurricane ‘Helene’ took the lives of more than 50 people in the southeastern U.S.
Praise for the Helpers
Barbara Volk, the mayor of Hendersonville, located half an hour from Asheville, commends both the volunteers and the work of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
During his campaign, Donald Trump propagated numerous false claims, alleging that FEMA lacked funding and was confiscating property. Volk states it is nearly impossible to correct all the disinformation circulating on social media.
“A friend of mine heard that supermarkets here were looted.” That too is simply not true. “The police registered nothing of the sort,” she emphasizes. FEMA has provided prompt assistance.
“We are still working closely with FEMA. Not only individuals affected, but also we as a city are receiving federal funding,” Volk explains.
First Hurricane ‘Helene’, now ‘Milton’: the U.S. is currently grappling with natural disasters.
No Thoughts of the Election
Will ‘Helene’ have repercussions for the presidential election? “Not really,” says the mayor, who holds office as an independent. “When people were busy cleaning up, they definitely weren’t thinking about the election.” Things have shifted since then.
Some polling places had to relocate, but they are open for early voting, she notes, adding that those who planned to vote Democratic before the hurricane will continue to do so, and the same for Republican voters. However, Volk suggests that the community coming together may have somewhat lessened political divisions.
“The far right and far left will never come together,” she remarks. “But I hope there are still enough people in the middle willing to collaborate with both sides for the good of the country.”