Tag Archives: Mud pots

Oct 3 2024

Day #6 – Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina Rescue and Recovery Efforts Continue


Posted originally on the CTH on October 2, 2024 | Sundance

Anyone who has ever worked in long-term disaster recovery and response well knows what Day #6 and Day #7 bring to the psyche.  As the crisis in Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina is now understood, the rescue and recovery work continue.

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While rescue workers still attempt to find access points into some of the most devastated towns and communities of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, Joe Biden was in Greenville, South Carolina today for a briefing [SEE HERE].  There remains a worrisome absence of overall federal action when overlaid to the scale of the problem.

Day #6 and 7 are generally fraught with anxiety and the sense of being overwhelmed when contrast against the tasks at hand. It is understandable that PTSD would begin to settle in the psyche of those in the hardest hit areas.  We have many friends in the region and send our deepest prayers of support and assistance to those in need.  You are not alone.

On Tuesday, I-40 was reopened east of Asheville, but I-40 at mile marker 3 in Haywood County will remain closed indefinitely.

Both I-40 East and West are closed from mile marker 432 in Tennessee east to mile marker 3 in North Carolina. I-40 West is closed starting at mile marker 3 in North Carolina west through mile marker 435 in Tennessee, according to TDOT.

While the major thoroughfare is closed for the foreseeable future, there are ways around it.

Interstate 81 offers a bypass to I-40. Those in the Northwest section of Western North Carolina, can look for a safe route to I-81 into Tennessee which connects with Interstate 77, providing an alternate route to other areas in North Carolina.

Those in the Southwest part of the state can still travel on part of Interstate 26, but sections of the road may be closed. People can also seek out safe routes to Interstate 85 and then head Northbound to the Charlotte area.

Those south of Hendersonville can take U.S. 74 ALT to U.S. 74 East toward Shelby and then connect with I-85 to Charlotte and other points North and East.

U.S. 64 to U.S. 74 ALT just north of Hendersonville is impassable at this time due to landslides. The road is also impassable between U.S. 74 ALT and Slick Rock Road according to NCDOT.  (link)

We have many Treepers in the identified severe impact zone.  If your communication situation has improved, please let us know your status.  Additionally, if there is any general information that people feel could be of benefit to those in the area, please use the comment section to provide your updates.

Prayers continue for everyone in the region.

You gotta appreciate the American spirit here. They needed a way out so they got together and made a makeshift road instead of waiting for the government to do something pic.twitter.com/EAaF9LFe7Z

— Washingtons ghost (@hartgoat) October 2, 2024

Posted in FEMA, Hurricane Helene, Uncategorized

Oct 2 2024

Biden to Provide US Hurricane Victims Pennies Compared to Proxy Wars


Posted originally on Oct 1, 2024 By Martin Armstrong 

The US government prioritizes foreign entities over their own citizens. President Joe Biden and his handlers have pledged over $17 BILLION to Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel in the past week alone. Meanwhile, Joe Biden has already gone on record to tell American hurricane victims that they should not expect any additional resources from the federal government. “We’ve given everything that we have,” Biden unsympathetically said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky abruptly visited America ahead of the election to beg for additional aid before the end of the federal fiscal year on September 30. He walked away with over $8 billion, including $5.6 billion in weapons and $2.4 billion worth of aid. Joe Biden enacted the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allowed him to draw additional weapons from stockpiles that were meant to help allies in an emergency. He has used this countless times but most recently pledged $375 million in military supplies for Ukraine.

Not to be outdone, Israel received $8.7 billion from the United States in the past week. The package includes $5.2 billion to secure Israel’s air defense systems and $3.5 billion for essential wartime procurement. Incredible that the US government can pledge billions to secure the Iron Dome while completely ignoring its own borders.

Our Commander in Chief has sent about 3,000 troops to the Middle East, according to the Pentagon. There are already 40,000 soldiers positioned in the region, although Kamala Harris insisted during the debate that this marked the first time that US soldiers have not been deployed to foreign wars.

Then President Joe Biden approved $567 million in defense support for Taiwan on Sunday as countless states were being swept away by Hurricane Helene. Let’s involve America in another war as the nation is distracted and grappling with tragedy. The specifics regarding this package remain vague, but rest assured it is moving the US in the neocon’s intended direction.

Imagine if these resources were invested domestically. This is a mere fraction of what the federal government has provided to these three nations and will continue to provide so long as a neocon remains in power. We have seen this happen countless times with other natural disasters at home, such as fires in Maui, where the people received a small one-time payment of $700 after losing absolutely everything. The government no longer needs to pretend to care about its citizens as people continue to vote for AMERICA LAST policies.

Oct 2 2024

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper Delivers Teleprompter Update on WNC Rescue and Relief Operations


Posted originally on the CTH on October 1, 2024 | Sundance 

Everything about the state of failed non-response in WNC makes sense when you honestly “look” at this video.  Folks, I’m not kidding.

Maybe it’s just me, but it just seems odd to see people in leadership reading from a teleprompter during an extreme crisis.  Both North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and DEI hire Health and Human Services Secretary, Cody Kinsley, literally read prepared remarks from a teleprompter while holding a press conference. Together with other officials they outline the latest updates in WNC Hurricane Helene rescue and recovery operations.

North Carolina DOT is reporting at lease 425 roads remain fully closed and likely many more are compromised.  Communication into and out of the region is not nearly good enough to make any quantification of problem areas possible.  Several communities are still unreachable unless by air.  WATCH:

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Seriously.  If you want to see DEI in action, watch the guy at 23:20.  This is like something out of a cheap Hollywood version.  Unreal.  I had NO IDEA North Carolina was this far gone.

Oct 2 2024

Day #5 – Communication Slowly Returning to Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee


Posted originally on the CTH on October 1, 2024 | Sundance

In the past 36 hours information to understand the context of devastation in Western North Carolina/East Tennessee has started to slowly come out. Today, we hope more families are able to contact their loved ones, as the number of missing persons continues to rise.

As communication lines start to open up, consider this thread an open discussion link for any information about the isolated impact zone. If you are in the region, let us know how you are doing. Tens-of-thousands remain trapped and isolated.

Thousands of rescue and recovery workers are now arriving just outside the area as officials attempt to patch together a way for relief efforts to reach impacted communities. Most mountain roads and bridges have failed or become severely compromised. Stay safe. Our entire CTH community is united in prayer and support.

Below is a solid representation of status for multiple families.

One Story: “My parents are ok but completely trapped. Yesterday, I hiked up to check on them. Brain spew coming; I’m still processing it all and was just locked in on go-mode yesterday.

Still not having heard from my parents in 48 hours, I was drowning in worry. My parents live in an absolute gem of the NC mountains — the Little Switzerland, Spruce Pine, Burnsville area — halfway between Asheville and Boone. Under normal circumstances, it’s pleasantly very isolated.

Little did I know that up there, Helene has demolished roads, homes and utility networks. **This area is completely cut off from resources in every direction.** I tried multiple routes to drive up but had to settle on parking in Marion at the base of a closed road (Hwys 221/226) and hiking 11 miles and 2,200 feet to find my parents thankfully ok but surrounded by devastation. I have never been so relieved to see anyone ok.

Crews weren’t even close yesterday. I can’t tell you how many failing roads and deep mudslides I had to cross, how many fallen trees I had to take off my backpack for and navigate through. While hiking up 226A, I met multiple people trapped by devastation in both directions of the highway.

In this part of the mountains with steep terrain rolling off the Blue Ridge Parkway, not only did water rise, it RAGED to tear up roads, earth and homes. Then, the winds (I’m certain tornados in some places) have brought down up to half the tree canopy.

I’m still processing it all. I’ve never seen anything like it. Power is a couple weeks out. I cannot fathom how long it will take DOT to repair the curvy roads that hug steep mountainsides with the most amazing views. Most of all, I want my parents to have the same basic needs they always provided me — food, water, shelter (house is mostly ok) and the ability to explore! But they can’t even leave their home right now. The steep part of their gravel road has braided channels only 18″ wide but up to 5′ deep from rushing water.

It’s just a waiting game now. If you are or you have family in the mountains, I feel for you. Know that crews are chipping away.”

A small portion video from Lake Lure to Asheville:

Oct 1 2024

President Trump Authorizes GoFundMe Campaign to Assist MAGA Country Impacted by Hurricane Helene


Posted originally on the CTH on September 30, 2024 | Sundance

Perhaps anticipating that a political administration will drag heels and deflect funds, according to press secretary Karolin Leavitt, President Trump has authorized a GoFundMe campaign to assist victims of Hurricane Helene.

[Tweet Link]

GoFundMe – “President Donald J. Trump has launched this GoFundMe campaign as an official response for MAGA supporters to offer their financial assistance to their fellow Americans impacted by Hurricane Helene. With so many across the Southeastern U.S. facing challenges after the storm, President Trump is on the ground in communities to see the aftermath firsthand. All donations will be directed to help those most affected by Hurricane Helene. Any level of generosity will go a long way for your fellow Americans who are suffering.”

~ Go Fund Me HERE ~

Oct 1 2024

Florida Governor DeSantis Recommends FEMA and Biden Direct all Immediate Aid and Recovery Assistance to Western North Carolina


Posted originally on the CTH on September 30, 2024 | Sundance

Likely unknown to most readers, tens-of-thousands of Florida residents have homes and cabins in Western North Carolina (WNC).  It is an inside joke in the region about the number of Florida tags on cars there. This is a smart move in principle and in politics by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Giving an update from Steinhatchee, Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis was asked about communication from Joe Biden.  Governor DeSantis pointed out that he has not spoken with Biden; however, he would recommend that all available FEMA and Federal recovery efforts be directed immediately to the Western North Carolina region.

DeSantis accurately describes and contrasts the unique challenges faced by people living in the WNC area.  WATCH:

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This is one of those situations where good policy is good politics.

Oct 1 2024

Day #4 – Facing Major Crisis, Private Sector Groups Working Furiously to Assist Western Carolina Region


Posted originally on the CTH on September 30, 2024 | Sundance

It is day #4 in the generally unexpected worst effect impact zone from Hurricane Helene.  The area west of Black Mountain, North Carolina, through the eastern portion of Tennessee is facing a major crisis that continues to unfold.

After three days of almost no communication from the region outside what the private sector and social media could put together, North Carolina governor Roy Cooper finally said, “the catastrophic devastation to western North Carolina is like nothing we have ever seen.”   Damage to roads, bridges, highways and all infrastructure in the impact zone is extreme.  Many areas remain cut-off as the roads and bridges have been destroyed.

Helene’s impacts are severe in parts of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia.  However, the Eastern TN/Western Carolina region took the hardest hit as the massive flooding has destroyed towns and literally cut-off the primary access roads and interstates needed to get into the region.

Boone, North Carolina is near many of the worst hit communities and also the headquarters of Franklin Graham’s group Samaritan’s Purse.  The orange shirts that show up in almost all areas of severe national disasters.  Samaritan’s Purse does a phenomenal job of assistance and staged recovery, and this disaster unfolded right in their back yard.

Multiple private sector groups and individuals have rushed to assist as the state and federal government seem incapable of responding due to the region facing a communication blackout.  In addition to the loss of power, cell towers, phone lines, fiber optic cable lines, and satellite receivers in the area have been destroyed.  As a result, it took a long time for groups to realize the significance of the problem.

While aide is needed throughout many areas in the southeast U.S, the red circled impact zone is in the worst shape because access to get vitally needed resources, supplies and aid to them is very limited.  Several communities remain completely cut-off and are accessible only by helicopter.

I-40 eastbound out of Tennessee is closed as the roads have washed out.  I-26 is closed in key areas due to bridge collapses.  The North Carolina Dept. of Transportation continues to say, “all roads in Western NC should be considered closed,” even the big ones.  Rural, small mountain paths and a few state roads are the only way to get assistance into the area.   Thankfully, as we enter day #4, people now realize the scale of the problem.

This is an unfolding crisis of unfathomable proportions. It’s not just the problem of destruction, and in some cases entire towns gone, but also a problem of reaching them to help. A few videos for context below.

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CTH coordinated communication resources into the area two days ago to join up with Franklin Graham’s group. People have asked for advice on donations. This is a hard question for this crisis because the big industrial type of relief efforts doesn’t seem to be effective yet. The best on-the-ground support is coming from ordinary people, Youtubers, podcasters, storm chasers and small independent groups; just plain boots on the ground folks responding to what is happening. Many links exist in the comment section on prior posts on this effort. God love em’.

For a large organizational support, I would suggest Samaritans Purse. They will stay around long after the media stops caring.

This next video is a great example of what relief workers literally face when trying to reach people.

I know most people still cannot communicate from inside the impact zone. However, if you are in the area, let us know how you are doing.

This is from Wormy:

…”Greetings Treepers, Just evacuated out of area North of Asheville. Up in Va now. Glad to have some creature comforts and my family and friends are all ok. Here’s what I saw happening:

We have had zero communication for 48 hours. We includes citizens, fire dept, 911, rescue, police, troopers, emts,etc. Zero cell phone or land lines. Apparently viper is the only communication and only one channel was available. I’m not sure what has led to this issue but it the single biggest failure so far. This was confirmed at local fire dept. Finally had intermittent cell service around 11am today

Power is slowly coming on. Local Duke and French Broad co op guys were crushing it. They were heroes. Easy areas are coming online. Hard hit areas where trees or floods took out infrastructure are going to take some time. Duke guys I saw today were first organized crew helping

Water is going to be the huge issue. If you have a well and power you’ll be ok; if you are on municipal services it’s going to be a long haul. So many water infrastructure systems wiped out. It’s great to have electricity, it’s impossible to thrive without clean water. This is a slow rolling disaster getting ready to rear its ugly head and unfortunately the mainstream media won’t cover it because the footage won’t be sensational.

Food wise some stocked up a whole lot of people didn’t. Same with gas. Here’s where it is going to start getting crazy. There’s only one sufficient highway into the Asheville area, I 26w. I didn’t see much rolling into town as we drove out. Unless the Calvary is massing somewhere, there is nowhere near the sufficient resources coming into that area. I hope I’m wrong but it’s setting up a situation where people are going to move into desperation soon.

Glad to reply to any other questions. Local am radio really helped. After about 36 hours they were the lifeline for many of us. My family and I are amateur preppers. We would have done fine with our resources if we had stayed. I was amazed at how many were WAY under prepared. Really sad. Hope to head back in a few days. I’ll post an update if a service is available. (link)

Sep 30 2024

UNREAL – Using a Teleprompter Script, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper Holds a Press Conference to Outline Catastrophic Damage to Western North Carolina


Posted originally on the CTH on September 29, 2024 | Sundance 

The ‘unreal’ part, is to watch North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper read from a teleprompter –ON DAY THREE– about the devastation in Western North Carolina that is only just now starting to surface in mainstream media reporting.  I’m trying not to be political within this crisis, but seriously here folks, this is incompetency on steroids. A Friggin’ Teleprompter?

Governor Cooper outlines ‘what he knows’ about a situation that has been increasingly getting out of control over the past 48 hours.  Ordinary patriots have done more to save lives than any representative of Cooper’s state government.  Watch closely, listen as Cooper positions himself amid proactive excuses and justifications for the unfolding catastrophe.

Governor Cooper is trying to avoid the political damage now for himself and for Joe Biden; it’s obvious. Remember, this is DAY #3 WATCH:

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On the upside, now the political continuum has swung, and the risk variable has shifted.  As a consequence, aid will start pouring into Western North Carolina as the politicos attempt to create the optics of magnanimous competency.

They are suddenly super worried about Asheville.  Can’t have the leftists in the deep blue, getting full awake to the incompetence of leftism. However, help will also start to flow further west too. That’s cool.  At least, people are finally going to get help.

Sep 30 2024

As Chaos Unfolds, Jaw-Droppingly Incompetent “Exclusive Interview” With North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper


Posted originally on the CTH on September 29, 2024 | Sundance

I am certainly no expert on North Carolina politics, but what I can tell you after watching this interview is that North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is completely incapable of dealing with the catastrophic crisis unfolding right now in WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

Far-east Tennessee and Western North Carolina are cut-off from the rest of the world.  Not only have the main artery roads, interstates and bridges been wiped out, but also communication lines, fiber optic cables, transmission towers, cell towers, the works have been destroyed.

If you remember the communication blackout, and subsequent slow rolling information stream that took four days to surface in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (2005), you will have reference for why it is taking the nation so long to realize what is happening in Western NC.

The video below is exactly what you do not want to see in this situation.

Last night Governor Roy Cooper delivered a shocking “exclusive interview” with WLOS News 13.  What makes the interview “shocking” is not just what Cooper says, but the manner in which he says it.  This guy is in a bubble without any concept of what is happening on the ground.  This interview represents everything you NEVER WANT TO SEE, in a state of emergency. WATCH:

First, Governor Roy Cooper is isolated and alone.  There are no state emergency officials next to him.  He is not in an emergency response posture; nor is he in a coordination center with the officials that matter.  15 minutes of time during a period of extreme crisis is a lot of time to waste.  This should be a press conference with every state emergency official, from every responding agency, surrounding him to offer specifics on what they are doing.

Next, listen carefully to what Governor Cooper is saying.  You will hear the words “learning”, “coordinating”, “facilitating”, “attempting to understand” etc., intertwined in the responses.

Governor Cooper has no idea what to do and he is deferring response to the private sector, who are stuck inside the crisis region.  The scale of the crisis is too large for the private sector to handle right now.  People are trapped and literally exposed to deadly situations during these 15 minutes of nothing.

Western North Carolina is in a state of crisis.  People are trapped. Entire small towns and communities are isolated by lost roads and bridges. Many people can only be reached by helicopter.  Communication in the region is almost impossible.  The outside world has no way to understand just how bad things are in specific areas because those areas are cut-off from all transit and communication.

Now is not the time for politics.  This issue is about competency.

Now is a time for action.  This is day #3, and as each day passes the desperation gets worse.  Remember, the standard rule of thumb from all emergency officials is for everyone to be self-sufficient for 3 days.  After those 3 days, responses and resources should be well positioned.

When day #4 comes and there is still no adequate response, you get a Katrina outcome; desperation starts to manifest in social breakdown.

The people of North Carolina are good, self-sufficient and resourceful people who will help each other and their neighbor.  No, they are not Katrina dependency minded.  These are bootstrapped, solid people who know how to survive.  However, there are also many people in the region in less fortunate situations; older, perhaps more vulnerable, perhaps less prepared, and currently cut off from the world.

Governor Cooper needs to get there himself.

Sep 29 2024

Eastern TN and Western NC Hit Hard by Flooding, I-40 and I-26 Closed Due to Catastrophic Collapse


Posted originally on the CTH on September 28, 2024 | Sundance

In the area of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina, things are really bad in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene winds and rain. The massive flooding in the entire SE region has created multiple crisis points in NC, TN, GA, SC, AL and Virginia.

In Western North Carolina, eastbound Interstate 40 is gone. I-40 washed away by massive amounts of water through Pigeon River, near the Tennessee state line. {STORY HERE}  Initially, state officials denied the collapse because it was impossible for anyone from the state to get to the area to confirm it.  They later said, “oh, shit- it’s real”… and now admit it will take a long time for repairs.

In northern East Tennessee the Interstate 26 bridge has collapsed near Erwin. I-26 is closed eastbound at mile marker 37 and closed westbound at mile marker 43.  {STORY HERE} Again, this is another closure that is likely to take a long time for repairs.

The region where Tennesse and North Carolina come together at the base of the Appalachian Mountain range has been severely damaged.  Transit into the area will be impeded for a substantial amount of time.  Rivers and streams throughout the area are far beyond their capacity and only now starting to recede.

I know we have a lot of Treepers in this area.  Check in if you are in any of the affected areas and let us know your condition.  There is going to be a significant amount of time delay in getting resources moved into the area to assist, and the national MSM do not seem to be recognizing the issues.

UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Several state routes and an area of Interstate 26 in Northeast Tennessee are closed on Friday due to downed trees and flooding, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT).

TDOT spokesperson Mark Nagi said I-26 is closed both ways around Exit 40. The interstate is closed eastbound at mile marker 37 and closed westbound at mile marker 43.

Approximately 12,000 vehicles per day use the I-26 bridges located at mile marker 39.6, according to Nagi. (read more)

NEWPORT, Tenn. (WSMV/WBIR) – Interstate 40 Eastbound is closed to all traffic at Mile Marker 432 in Cocke County due to catastrophic flooding in Tennessee and North Carolina, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Part of I-40 going into North Carolina has washed away.

“This is a serious and life threating situation. DO NOT TRAVEL TO NORTH CAROLINA,” NWS Morristown said in a tweet.

Spokesman Mark Nagi shared several videos of the Pigeon River flooding onto I-40 in Cocke County. (read more)

ATLANTA, Sept 28 (Reuters) – Authorities across a wide swath of the southeastern United States faced the daunting task on Saturday of cleaning up from Hurricane Helene, one of the most powerful to hit the country, as the death toll continued to rise.

At least 43 deaths were reported by late on Friday, and officials feared still more bodies would be discovered across several states.

Helene, downgraded late on Friday to a post-tropical cyclone, continued to produce heavy rains across several states, sparking life-threatening flooding that threatened to create dam failures that could inundate entire towns.

Police and firefighters carried out thousands of water rescues throughout the affected states on Friday.

More than 50 people were rescued from the roof of a hospital in Unicoi County, Tennessee, about 120 miles (200 km) northeast of Knoxville, state officials said, after floodwaters swamped the rural community.

Rising waters from the Nolichucky River prevented ambulances and emergency vehicles from evacuating patients and others there, the Unicoi County Emergency Management Agency said on social media. Emergency crews in boats and helicopters were conducting rescues. (read more)

Everyone check in and let us know that all is ok, if not – whether you need help.