North Carolina Governor Josh Stein said he will continue to use all available resources to ensure residents affected by Hurricane Helene stay warm as winter storms rage through the state, potentially impacting power grids and other critical infrastructure affected by the previous storm.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance with temporary housing will end Saturday for thousands of North Carolina residents, some of whom will face frigid temperatures in the Appalachians this weekend.
“At our request, FEMA has extended temporary shelter assistance through Tuesday in light of the winter storm impacting western North Carolina,” Stein’s office confirmed to FOX Business.
Workers, community members and business owners clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Marshall, NC, September 30, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
AMERICANS HAVE THANKSGIVING IN TENTS BECAUSE HEAT, ELECTRICITY AND FOOD ARE STILL HARD TO FIND
The Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which cannot be applied for and as of October was only awarded to survivors identified by FEMA, was scheduled to end on Friday and later be postponed to Saturday.
FEMA’s Local Disaster Recovery centers will be closed through Monday, “due to winter weather.”
“I will continue to use all the resources at my disposal to get people into safe and warm shelter,” said Governor Josh Stein.
North Carolina residents received letters on Jan. 3 informing them that their hotel or motel rooms would no longer be covered, Fox News Digital reported. When qualifying ends, they will be given a week’s notice to check out.
HUNDREDS OF LA HOMES EXPECTED TO BURN IN WILDFIRES
Thousands Survivors of Hurricane Helene are still supported by the program in western North Carolina following the September storm.
Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Helene caused record flooding and damage in Asheville, NC on September 28, 2024 (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
There are currently 5,600 households checked into hotelsaccording to FEMA.
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The agency said people with questions about eligibility should contact the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
Audrey Conklin and Brooke Singman of Fox News Digital contributed to this article.
