It is very hard to process the unfathomable devastation that has occurred. Mountain communities have quite literally been wiped off the map with no phones to call for help, no food, water, gas, wifi, or any hope of rescue coming to them in many areas. They are alone in the dark with no communication infrastructure working. Homes, businesses, roads, hotels, everything washed away in a few hours of completely unexpected flooding.
I have heard friends speak of children walking around naked looking for parents, people watching their neighbors on top of roofs all get washed away when it crumbles in, as this is the most tragic weather event there since 1916. Hundreds still unaccounted for. I started honing in on the North Carolina stories because a family member still has not heard from her father. The way these mountain towns are set up if roads are gone they are gone, you can’t just hop to the next town and find cell service, food, supplies, etc.
Desperation is rampant.
Many have said “Once a town is now a river”. I know there is also absolutely awful devastation through South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida. My deepest condolences to all who are suffering through this nightmare, and who have lost loved ones or are surviving agonizing hours of a waiting game. Thousands have lost everything their family worked so hard on for generations-many farms, historic businesses, produce stands, restaurants, tourist attractions, everything just gone in an instant.
My favorite places to donate who have boots on the ground and are trying desperately via helicopters to rescue people are @globalempowermentmission and @samaritanspurse, while delivering critical supplies wherever they can get in. Please also consider @mercychefs providing homemade meals. Leave any links you can for localized efforts or go fund me pages etc so we can all dig in however we are able. Sometimes the media is only focused on the bigger places and I know multiple towns have disappeared. These harrowing pictures are from East Tennessee and North Carolina, to my knowledge ❤️ May God be near you all…