Hurricane Update

This is the first time I have been able to communicate since the hurricane hit Thursday night. The situation here is catastrophic. The hurricane dropped its load of water here in the mountains of North Carolina. All cellular towers are down. All power lines are down. I-40 is closed and so is I-26, eliminating the major ground lines of communication with eastern N, SC, and TN. Locally our county seat has no power or phones, although I have heard that 911 is back online for anyone who has a phone that can call them. No cellphones work, but some landlines do.

Our rescue operations are 24 hours a day currently. I can report steady progress; yesterday at dawn it took me five hours just to cut my way out with a chainsaw to reach the highway and the rally point. Today we have saw crews and a three man team from DOT with earth moving equipment to clear landslides. We have established a temporary shelter for the elderly until they can be moved to proper facilities, but our hospitals are overwhelmed-- one of them is closed, but yesterday all of them were.

This is going to take a while. Power restoration is estimated between 5 days and weeks, depending on who you consult. I have Internet while standing next to this one fire truck with a mobile Starlink system. Many people have generators, but fuel is an issue: with the interstates down supplies will dwindle, and the economy is cash only because credit card systems can't reach their banks. We are especially concerned about elderly on oxygen, supplies of which will also dwindle.

I will be in touch as I can be, but expect that to be limited especially at first. I have not heard anything about when cell towers will be back online. Once power is restored, I'll have Starlink from home. I haven't been at home much, though.

The community is pulling together in the best traditions of America. The support systems are heavily stressed, though.

9 comments:

  1. We're without power until mid week probably. I think Oconee County, got almost 15" rain in the last two days. I'm sure y'all got even more than that. This was a hundred year storm for sure. In the few areas I've been, I didn't see too many trees down.

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  2. Anonymous5:46 PM

    I've alerted the prayer chain out here, Grim, Mike. I suspect as soon as things open a little, the Baptist Men and some others will be starting to move east to help as they can.

    LittleRed1

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  3. Just heard from a cousin who lives in NC near SC. She moved there recently from Florida and says she never experienced anything like this in hurricanes in Florida. She's taken shelter with a friend who has power and cell signal, and says all roads out are impassable.

    Stay safe and thank you on behalf of my cousin for what you are doing to help everyone.

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  4. raven8:32 PM

    Looks like you caught the brunt of it. Of course...!
    May God bless your efforts.
    It is the worst sort of cutting- new blow-downs can have awful stress on them.

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  5. The video we're seeing is deeply shocking. Indeed, God bless your efforts.

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  6. All best wishes to you and yours.

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  7. Thank you for taking the time, in a situation like this, to keep us updated, it is an honor indeed.
    Hold fast, if anyone can handle a burden such as this, it's you mountain people. Praying and hoping help will come soon and in quantity.

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  8. Anonymous9:27 AM

    Wherr are you located? Do you know any ham radio guys? If so have them go to ECARS frequency, 7.255 ssb. They will know what that means. People are monitoring.

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