re: Helene - Recovery Begins...Devastating Flash Flooding in Western NC and Eastern TN

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Starlink is working for people with generators. But people are running out of gas for their gennys.

The destruction is beyond belief and horrifying.

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If you had Starlink, a Tesla and a Tesla Solar roof you could be fully functioning. Just give Elon all your money.

I haven't really seen any news coverage. The water is going down some, so residents are able to find spots with a bar of cell service and videos of the area are coming out on social media.

We have a cabin near the Mt. Mitchell golf course that can't be reached by the neighbor just down the road about 1/4 because electric lines are in the way. He can't go further down the mountain because the road is washed out and water is still up, but was able to see houses along the S. Toe River were severely damaged/destroyed and a mudslide. The people in the mudslide area can't get out because the bridge is destroyed and the road is washed out on the other side. Other neighborhoods around the course have mudslides over the road.

None of my neighbors can get in touch with all the folks across the highway.

Now, multiply that times all the little side roads and campgrounds and rivers and it is overwhelming.

Nobody has potable water or electricity and no help is coming for a while because it is literally impossible to get there. It isn't a small area, either. It is like Katrina and the 2016 floods spawned and had a nightmare weather event across 4 states..

I have friends in Cashiers, NC that aren't responding. Does anyone have any intel on that area? Power map shows there's a decent chance they are in the dark tonight.

I’m 100% sure they’re without power and cell service. Highlander Inn posted this morning the only way into the Highlands is Cashiers FWIW. Highlands is without power and cell too except at their evacuation facility.

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Was finally able to find Canton Mayor @ZebSmathers just now, and he has some choice words for cell phone service providers — the lack of cell service during #helene and even as we speak has been appalling.

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Upgrades to their emergency management backups are needed. Starlink would be fine and could provide a hotspot.

Thank you for the post. I feel a bit better that they probably just haven't seen my texts.

What happens if you operate a HAM radio in times like these like after a hurricane and ur not licensed?

Gas stations are hard to find, and when open, they have huge lines unfortunately.

The media and our government have thrown whitey to the wolves. But they love to keep sucking up taxes from us.

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Not a chance. There's no ratings (so they think) watching whitey digging out. Look at Hurricane Michael, it got very little play since it was a very red area. That hurricane was devastating, but you would never know it based on the coverage. In order to get coverage, it has to effect a certain segment of the population.

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I figured as much