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President Biden has ordered 500 additional active-duty troops to assist in recovery efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
What’s the deal: The additional 500 active-duty troops heading to North Carolina will bring the total number of military personnel assisting in the recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene to 1,500. These troops are joining a larger federal response that includes over 6,100 National Guard members and more than 7,000 other federal personnel already on the ground.
What the White House is saying: According to the White House, the additional 500 troops will be equipped with “advanced technological assets [that will] provide greater situational awareness on the ground and will assist with future resource planning across the region.”
Current situation on the ground: According to authorities, the current death toll from Hurricane Helene has risen to 227, with fatalities spread across six states, making it the deadliest US hurricane since Katrina. North Carolina, particularly hard-hit, accounts for about half of the deaths, while additional fatalities have been recorded in Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Many areas remain inaccessible, with homes destroyed, roads washed away, and thousands still facing power outages.
Criticism: Despite having thousands of personnel on the ground, the federal government’s response to Hurricane Helene has faced criticism for being slow and insufficient in the eyes of many local officials and residents. Frustration has mounted over delays in delivering critical supplies like food and clean water, as well as in restoring power and communication in the hardest-hit areas, particularly in rural and remote regions of North Carolina. Additionally, concerns have been raised about a lack of clear coordination between federal agencies and local authorities, which some argue has hindered the recovery process.
Another view: In defense of the federal government’s response to Hurricane Helene, senior US officials have highlighted the rapid deployment of federal personnel and assets. The government has also pointed to the more than $137 million in federal aid that has already been directed to help impacted individuals and communities.
